


No place like home

by soapy_soap



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Assassination, F/F, Sexual Content, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-16 03:36:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 61,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14803643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soapy_soap/pseuds/soapy_soap
Summary: When Dawn got abducted by The Dark Brotherhood she started to doubt her ability to stay out of trouble. Curiosity about her mysterious captor rises as well as the urge to know more about the group of vigilantes hiding in the woods.(Posted on ff.net)





	1. Prologue

 

  
Dry leaves rustled under light feet on the road outside of Riverwood. The path was empty and had been the past hour or so. The Dragonborn walked over the bridge and continued toward the sleeping village. She needed to hit the bottle, or get a swing of a giant's club to the head; anything to make her pass out and get some sleep. Ever since the unusual encounter at that abandoned shack she hadn't been able to sleep at all. Not that it had been traumatizing, she'd been through tougher nights, but there was something unsettling about someone managing to drag her slumbering body from an inn, undetected, cross country and then sit and wait for her to wake up. She had to give it to this mystery woman, she did impress her.  
  
She went up the small stairs of the Sleeping Giant Inn, drunkly greeted by a few merry soldiers on furlough. She nodded respectfully and opened the door and instantly felt the smell of food, mead and sweat. The place was quite busy for being a Middas, with every table occupied by drunken servicemen. She made her way to the counter and felt eyes burning into her back as she did. Orgnar, the innkeeper, seemed to recognize her as he clapped his big hands with a broad smile on his face.  
  
“Ah! If it isn't the Dragonslayer herself!” He roared proudly and walked around the counter to greet her with a firm grip around her forearm. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”  
  
She looked around and realized that everyone's attention was on her. “It's good to see you Orgnar, do you think there's anywhere we could talk... _privately?_ ”  
  
His bushy eyebrows furrowed and his smile faded. “Of course, follow me.” He went past her and opened the door to an all too familiar room. She glanced over at the fake wardrobe and thought about the last time she had been there - it seemed like a lifetime ago.  
  
Orgnar's rumbling voice took her back to reality. “So tell me, what's troubling you?” He said and sat down on the chest by the foot of the king sized bed.  
  
She thought for a moment on how to ask the question she had been rehearsing in her head a thousand times on her way to Riverwood. She barely knew the man, but she had to trust someone eventually, she decided. “I need to ask you a favour.”  
  
His eyes widened at this. He crossed his arms over his chest and studied her for a moment. “I'm listening.”  
  
“I've been through some rough days and haven't been able to get a wink of sleep since...well, since I got kidnapped, and now I think they're after me, watching me.”  
  
He stared at her for a moment, then he started to chuckle. “I'm sorry, It's just hard to believe that anyone would be able to abduct the Dragonborn and live to tell the tale.”  
  
“I'm just as surprised as you are.” She answered and started pacing. “The thing is, I don't know who to trust.”  
  
Orgnar rose from his seat and went over to the cupboard, he came back with a bottle of ale and two cups, he poured the liquid and handed one over to her. She took a large gulp. The rich, lukewarm drink felt like heaven.  
  
“Who do you think is following you?” He asked carefully as he refilled her cup to the brim.  
  
She sighed and took another gulp of ale. “The Dark Brotherhood.”  
  
Orgnar, who was about to drink, slowly put the cup down on the small table beside him. “Are you sure?” The concern in his voice did not go unnoticed.  
  
“That was what the woman said, the Dark Brotherhood.” Her eyes met Orgnar's, he looked troubled.  
  
He ran his hands trough his hair and sighed heavily. “Well then, what do you need?”  
  
“I need to stay here, just for tonight. I'll pay double, even triple the normal cost for a room. All I ask is that you make sure _no one_ knows where I am.”  
  
The man took another sip of his ale and considered her for a moment, she waited patiently in silence. “All right, but don't bother paying, not in coins anyway.” He went past her towards the door. “You can sleep here, or in the cellar. I'm sure you remember how the wardrobe works?”  
  
She nodded and gave him a quick smile. “Thank you, Orgnar. I'll be in your debt.”  
  
He opened the heavy door and once again the cheering voices of celebrating soldiers filled her ears. He stopped in his tracks.

“What do I call you?”  
  
“Dawn.” She answered quietly.  
  
“Right then, Dawn the Dragonborn. What do we do if they come in here when we're all asleep and cut our throats?” He gave her a small smile.  
  
Her lips curled into a smirk at his comment. “I guess we'll drink our next ale in Sovngarde.”

“Spoken like a true Nord. Keep the ale, you need it more than I.” And with that he went through the door and closed it. Dawn locked it behind him.  
  
She pressed her back to the frame and exhaled. Just one night. _One._ In the morning she would travel southwest and hopefully be in Falkreath at dusk, after that she would search for the entrance. It could take all night, but so be it. Her mind went back to a few nights before. She had woken up on a cold wooden floor, it had reeked of moulded wood and decay. Three hooded captives. One scared out of his whits and the other two, well, too stubborn for their own good. But she had smelled their fear. And, the woman, hiding behind a hood and mask, her piercing green eyes and pale complexion was the only thing visible. When she spoke her words clung to Dawn's entire body, like a snake. When she had asked Dawn to kill one of the captives it had been so casual, like it was the most natural request in the world. She groaned, frustrated. Maybe she should just have stabbed the woman and be on her way - problem free. Though, she felt it wasn't as simple as that. She took the bottle, left the cup on the table and proceeded to open the secret entrance to the cellar.  
  
It was cold and a bit damp down there, but it would have to do. She opened one of the chest and found a big deer hide that she placed on the floor under the map table. She stripped down to her undergarments and used her fur armour as a cover, quite pleased with the result. At least she was sleeping on a cold floor in the south and not in the north, that though left her with some comfort. Grasping the bottle she drank what was left in mere seconds. It didn't take long for the alcohol to kick in and soon enough she had drifted into a deep slumber, never noticing the piercing green eyes watching her from one of the dark corners.

 


	2. Silence, my brother

Her head pounded as her eyes fluttered open. Her back ached and she groaned as she reached for her armor that had fallen off of her during the night. But it wasn't anywhere near her. Grabbing the dagger stuffed under the hide she silently crawled out from under the table. Managing to get a hold of one of the torches on the wall she dipped it in the oil barrel placed underneath its holder and whispered “Yol”. A small flame erupted from her mouth and set fire to the torch. The room lit up and cast shadows on the walls. Her eyes fell upon the table she had been sleeping under. Right in the middle, neatly folded, she saw her armour. On top of it there was a note, she recognized the black handprint immediately. She picked it up and noticed something written in the left corner, _“Getting closer”_ it read. She didn't have time to think as she threw the note to the side and the torch along with it. She put it out with a freezing Thu'um, grabbed her armour and hurried upstairs.

* * *

Her fingers closed around the door handle. Slowly, she turned the key until it clicked and pushed the door open. The Inn was empty, dark and silent. 

  
“Orgnar?” She called out carefully. “Are you here?”  
  
Nothing but silence. She continued towards the room opposite hers. The door stood ajar and there was a faint light shining from the crack. Dawn had her weapon ready for who or what she would find on the other side. The heavy wood wailed as it swung open. On the floor, legs spread out on either side of a big barrel of mead sat Orgnar. He looked entirely ingested in his project and, fortunately, very much intact.  
  
“Dawn! Didn't hear you coming. Was afraid you might have conked for good down there.” He chuckled.

She exhaled and shook her head. “No, I'm fine...I actually thought something had happened to you.” She sat down beside him.  
  
“Really, why is that?” He said as he opened the barrel's tap and filled a bottle before pressing a cork firmly into the hole.  
  
She pulled her legs tighter to her body and rested her arms on her knees. “When I woke up there was a note. It came from _them._ ”  
  
“But that's impossible. You locked the door...” he stated and furrowed his brows.  
  
“Yes, and I slept in the cellar. But somehow...someone got in.” She said as her mind searched for a logical explanation. They may be assassins, but they could not be able to go through walls, could they?  
  
Suddenly, Orgnar seemed to remember something as he sat up straighter. “When you got downstairs, did you take a good look at the room?”  
  
Dawn tried to remember. The torch on the wall had been burning faintly, giving just enough light to see the table and all the corners on the right hand side of the room. But she hadn't looked for anything suspicious, there could have been someone lurking in the shadows.  
  
“I don't know, I was completely knackered.”  
  
He considered her for a moment. “So the possibility that someone got here before you is-”  
  
“Is very likely, yes.” She said and stood up. “Did you happen to see anyone last night that looked...misplaced?”  
  
He gave a low chuckle at that. “Yes, you. Not many Nords carry deep blue hair  
like yourself.”  
  
She smiled at him. “You'd be surprised what you could accomplish with half a dozen deathbell peddles and a few blue butterfly wings.”  
  
“I'll keep that in mind...” He shifted a bit and gave her a concerned look. “But, now that you mention it, I did see someone entering about thirty minutes before yourself. Never saw her leave, though.”  
  
Dawn raised her eyebrows. “What did she look like, did you see her face?” Not that it mattered, if this was the same woman Dawn would only be able to tell from her eye colour - and she doubted Orgnar would pay attention to that specific detail.   
  
“I got a glimpse of her, pretty little vixen in some kind of red and black armour. I must admit I don't know what colour the Brotherhood wears, sadly, I just hear stories.” He pondered for a moment and then gasped as he seemed to remember something. “I got at good look at her eyes though, ah, green as summer's grass they were.”  
  
The pieces of the puzzle started to fit into place, Dawn could never forget such captivating eyes. “It was the same woman who snatched me, I'm sure of it. How could she have known I would come here?”  
  
“She must have followed you, like you said.” He said as they exchanged looks. "I promise you, I don't know anything about them or why they're after you." He raised his hands slightly, as to emphasize his innocence.   
  
“I know you don't...” A few moments of silence passed, then she made up her mind. “I'm going to find this sanctuary of theirs, It's the only way I could get some answers.”  
  
Orgnar stood up and walked over to her. “This might end bad, you could get killed the moment you set foot in there.”  
  
“I might, but I won't make it easy for them.” She took his forearm in a firm grip as he helped her back on her feet. “Thank you Orgnar, you've been good to me, I won't forget it.”  
  
He grinned at her. “I admire your taste for adventure Dragonborn, I will greet you as a friend in this life, or the next.”  
  
She beamed at him and went for the door. “Take care, my friend.”

* * *

About half a day after her departure she'd finally reached Falkreath. Fortunately, she had found a farmer with a carriage half a mile outside of Riverwood whom had been happy to take her with him. He dropped her off a few miles outside of the little village, and she paid him generously for his troubles before taking off further south. She kept to the roads, just as the woman had said. The sun had given up on her about an hour into her trek and the only thing casting any light at all was the full moon, projecting eerie shadows in the dark forest. 

  
She found a small pond and sat down for some rest, her stomach growled and her eyes felt heavy. Reaching down to scoop up some water in her hand she realized it was ink black. She recoiled and wiped her hand on her armour. Turning around she noticed a faint light coming from behind the thin trees. Dawn skulked closer and it didn't take long for her to understand that she had reached her destination. The robust stone door was engraved with a large skull and the handprint painted in blood red on its forehead. Underneath there was a skeleton, sitting in what looked like a fetal position. She weighed her options - she could either go inside and risk being stabbed by a welcome committee of assassins, or turn back. Her fingers caressed the uneven stone carvings when something very unexpected happened.

 _“What is the music of life?”_ Said an eerie voice coming from the door.  
  
Dawn backed away in surprise. She knew the answer, the woman had told her, and before she had time to weigh her options once more, her mouth opened.  
  
“Silence, my brother.” The words rolled out of her mouth, like two cogwheels grinding against one another.  
  
_“Welcome home.”_ The voice answered, the door gave a cold clicking sound and she could push it open. Dawn threw a final glance over her shoulder before she slipped inside.

* * *

  
Dawn's footsteps echoed as she made it down the stone steps that would take her deeper down the tomb like sanctuary. Her heart hammered against her ribcage so hard she thought it would jump out of her body. When she'd reached the end of the stairs she entered a gloomy lit room. A few shelves filled with various books and other trinkets had been sloppily pushed against the wall to her right. Looking to her left she saw a large table, much like the one in the cellar of The Sleeping Giant, a large map that had been nailed down by old daggers covered the top. She walked carefully into the middle of the room, a strange feeling of someone watching her snooping around made the hairs of her neck rise. There was another set of stairs leading further down the cavern. No one seemed to had noticed her entering, which was the perfect reason to turn back. And so, Dawn decided she had seen enough. Arngeir had once told her she possesses powers mere mortals could only dream of having, and that she should use them wisely. And if there was something she had learnt from her time with the Graybeards, it was that wisdom always trumps curiosity. Dawn turned her heel to head back up the stairs when a familiar voice spoke behind her back.  
  
“Leaving so soon?”  
  
She spun around, wide eyed, and saw a woman stand right where she had been two seconds earlier. There was no doubt it was the same woman from the shack - only now, she wasn't wearing the hood that had covered her face. Dawn’s first thought was that the woman before her had a very well sculptured face. Her blonde hair had been partially braided on the sides and the rest of the golden curls fell down a long, slim neck - she was altogether exquisite. Her intense, green eyes pierced Dawn's deep blue ones as she approached her. Her deep, but beautiful laugh lines gave away her mature age, and she carried herself with pride.  
  
“No...I just...” She managed before the woman put her hand up to silence her.  
  
“You've gotten yourself this far, why turn back now?” She walked closer to Dawn who by reflex took a step back, “or are you not the adventure seeker I took you for?”  
  
The dragonborn remained silent, afraid she would say something stupid that would make her throat slit open in a heartbeat.  
  
The woman's eyes traveled over her body as her lips curled into a wicked smile. “Hmm...Yes, the silence suits you. Gives you an air of mystery.”  
  
Dawn's mouth fell open, she had not expected having any form of conversation upon her arrival, and certainly not a comment like that. It was a game, the woman was probably playing her only to get her guard down before she struck.  
  
“Tell me who you are and I might consider not hurting you.” She tried to sound intimidating, but the words had come out a bit less daunting than she had hoped.  
  
The woman threw hear head back and laughed. “Quite the little charmer I’ve led into our little lair. Tell me, did you really come here to assassinate me?”  
  
“I haven't decided yet.” Dawn said in a low voice. “What do you want from me?”  
  
The blonde crossed her arms over her chest. “I believe I made myself clear the first time we met. You are here because I want you to join my family. I want _you_ to help me rebuild this sanctuary to its former glory.”  
  
Dawn looked doubtfully at the woman. “And _how_ exactly do you want me to do that?”  
  
“It's simple. You commit fully to The Dark Brotherhood, leave your old life behind, and together we will build a guild so strong and respected, no one will ever dare to bring us harm again.”  
  
“And by gaining this respect you mean murdering innocent people?”  
  
“Oh my sweet, sweet girl. No one is innocent. You see, the Dark Brotherhood only assassinate through contracts...”  
  
“Contracts?” Dawn interrupted. “What contracts?”  
  
“Well, if you would let me finish I could tell you.” She said, with a glimmer of annoyance in her voice.  
  
Dawn nodded in response and the woman continued:  
  
“In the past, The Dark Brotherhood got their contracts from the Night Mother. If someone wanted a person dead they prayed to the Night Mother through a ritual called _the black sacrament._ But,” she continued as she started pacing, “some time ago the Night Mother vanished, and so did we. Some went into hiding whilst others got killed in raids enforced by the law. But the people of Skyrim still needed us, so, the few of us who didn't cower or perish came here, to keep safe.”  
  
Dawn frowned. “But if the Night Mother is gone, how do you get contracts?”  
  
“Well, you see, people don't know much about us other than how to preform the ritual, which truthfully is to our advantage. So, say someone in a village does the ritual as his curious neighbor peaks through his window, then the rumors start, and we eventually hear about it, thus a contracts is formed.”  
  
“So, when I found that boy in Windhelm, he had done just that.” She stated and shuddered as she though about the little boy kneeling over a corpse, chanting the summoning phrase.  
  
“Clever girl. You have paid your debt in blood by killing those unfortunate souls in the shack. You owe me nothing." The woman came closer and ceased her eyes, it was as petrifying as it was intoxicating. "leave if you want," she said, in an almost jaded tone, "but if you decide to stay I can promise you safety, a family...and gold.” Her eyes glinted as she seemed to read Dawn's expression.  
  
Dawn's curiosity peaked, and Arngeir's voice faded in her head. She had never been good at rational thinking, especially not when she got offered food and a roof over her head. Besides - the woman intrigued her with her mysterious but also very familiar approach. Asking herself to choose between what was right and what felt right at the time would be equivalent to asking a child if they would rather have spinach over a sweetroll.  
  
“Tick tock, Deathbell.”  
  
“I have one condition.” She said as her eyes met those of the older woman.  
  
She smirked and tilted her head to the side. “And what might that be, dear?” She reached out and brushed a strand of blue hair from Dawn's face.  
  
“Tell me your name.” Dawn squinted her eyes at the woman, who seemed most delighted by how easy she had been to persuade. She chuckled, as if it had been a silly question asked by a dolt child.

“Why, of course...my name is Astrid, I am the leader of this sanctuary.” She said, then leaned in and kissed Dawn on the corner of her mouth, soft and briefly. The tingling sensation lingered after the contact broke and Dawn realized she'd been holding her breath. “Welcome to the family, sister.”

 


	3. Blood and dirt

Dawn had been given a tour around the sanctuary to meet the rest of the brotherhood. They'd all had different reactions to the new addition to the family. Some where friendly and enthusiastic, others; not so much. Astrid had shown her the sleeping quarters. It wasn't very glamours. A small bed with a dusty end table next to it, and she shared the hall with the rest of the family, a thought that made her a bit uneasy. In fact, she decided to sleep with her small dagger tucked under her pillow; just for precaution. On the bed lay a set of red and black leather armour. _At least no more inns and bedrolls,_ she thought to herself as she started to dust off the furniture with her hand.  
  
“Well, well. It's raw meat.” Came a deep voice from behind, she spun around only to find a huge, though looking man with silver hair. He looked stolidly at her and she decided right away that she didn't like him.  
  
“Sorry?” She said, pretending she was oblivious to his uncivil attitude. “And you are?”  
  
He snorted. “Oh, my beautiful wife has told me all about you. She probably failed to mention I'm her husband, she has a tendency to do that.”  
  
Dawn raised her eyebrows. “No, she didn't, and I'm positive she doesn't know that much about me.” She turned around and started to put her belongings in the drawers of the end table.  
  
“Ha!” His sharp voice cut through her body and her hand automatically grabbed around the hilt of the mace in her belt. He didn't seem to notice her sudden movement and continued in his unkind voice:

“I'll give you a week before you end up dead in a ditch.” He said and left without giving her a chance to reply, which was probably for the best since she had started to get really irritated and the dragon blood inside of her had started to boil. So, Astrid had a husband. A very ill-bred one at that. She brushed off the discomfort lingering in the air after the conversation and decided that keeping to herself was probably her best choice.  
  
She moved the armor to the side and fell down on the bed with a thud. Her eyes became heavy. She was so tired, her body felt like a cave bear had died on top of it. A few moments passed and not before long she slipped into a deep, well deserved sleep.

* * *

  
“Rise and shine, newcomer!” A voice echoed in her head and brought her back into consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open. The redguard, Nazir, stood hunkered above her. “About time. An hour more and we would've thought you'd given up on us.”  
  
She sat up and stretched out her back. “How long was I out?” She asked in a hoarse voice.  
  
“Thirteen hours. Seemed like you needed it, so we let you be.”  
  
“Oh, right. Thanks.” She yawned. He was right, even though she felt a bit embarrassed going straight to bed her first day on the job.  
  
“But, alas. You're not here to rest, you're here to work, and I've got plenty to do for you.” His voice turned serious and she stood up beside him, stumbled a bit on the spot before shaking her head to regain focus.  
  
“Tell me what you want and I'll do it.” Her vocal cords were still sore and she didn't sound as enthusiastic as she had wished.  
  
He chuckled. “Not so fast little whirlwind, _you_ need food. Come, I'll tell you all about your first contract over breakfast.” The man smiled at her and she nodded, not entirely sure whether to be excited or just plain worried. She followed him down the wooden stairs and sighed in relief when the smell of food reached her nostrils. Her stomach growled, she didn't even remember the last time she had eaten. Nazir pulled out a chair and gestured for her to sit down. As she did he put a large chunk of chicken breast on her plate along with a few generous sized potatoes.  
  
“This is breakfast?” She asked and arched an eyebrow at him, and managed to lure out a smirk on the man's lips.  
  
“Eat, you'll need it.” He urged, his eyes then fixed on something behind her. “Ah, Astrid. I was just about to brief our newcomer on her first contract.”  
  
Dawn heard footsteps approaching from behind. A hand caressed her back as the woman past her. Dawn shivered and stared at the plate in front of her. She had a sudden urge to flee, not because she got scared - there was just something about Astrid, she could change the atmosphere in a room with her presence alone.   
  
“Back from the dead, I see.” She sat down on the edge of the table and rested her feet on the chair next to Dawn's. “How do you feel, little Deathbell?” She smirked as she put a green grape between plump lips.  
  
Dawn cleared her throat. “Well rested, thank you.” She looked down again at her plate and struggled to keep her face from turning pink. _What is wrong with me?_ She thought, frustrated by her increasing heartbeat.   
  
“I'm afraid king size beds are a luxury we can't afford at the moment. But, all in good time.” She turned to Nazir. “So, tell us. Who is the poor fool our little apprentice will send to the void.” Astrid's voice was filled with delight as she popped another grape into her mouth.  
  
“ _Fools,_ Astrid. I've got three contracts from various locations in Skyrim. You're in for a hard first day, newcomer. I just need to get the map with the details, I'll be right back.” He went through one of the doors, leaving the two women alone.  
  
Astrid's eyes went back to Dawn. “Oh, how very perfect.” She purred. She stood up and leaned over the chair she had just had her feet on, her face mere inches from Dawn's, her eyes green as poison ivy. “This will, I think, put you to the test, and if you succeed you'll earn the respect you deserve.” She tilted her head slightly and examined Dawn's bemused expression.  
  
The bluenette licked her dry lips. “Do you, um...do you have any advice for me?” She asked shyly, as she tried to avoid the solid gaze of the older woman.   
  
Astrid stayed silent for a moment, in the corner of her eye Dawn could see her smirk. “Don't get caught.” She stood back up and shortly after Nazir came back with a roll of paper.

“Here we go, now these aren't particularly glamours assassinations.” He said and rolled it out on the table. “But they'll keep you busy.”  
  
Astrid gave him a nod and then proceeded to leave, Dawn watched her go as a tingling sensation erupted in the pit of her stomach. “Stay safe, little Deathbell.” She said over her shoulder before she left the room.  
  
Nazir followed Astrid with his gaze, then he spoke. “As I said, three people need to die.” He slammed the map of Skyrim down on the table.

* * *

  
Dawn sneaked behind thick bushes, careful not to step on something that would give her away. A man was sitting by the water, holding his hands over a small fire and shaking like a leaf. It wasn't a cold night, so Dawn could only guess he knew what was coming. She reached for her bow and aimed at his chest. When she let go the arrow swished past him and he fell back in surprise. " _Pile of scrib jelly",_ Dawn cursed and quickly reached for another arrow. By the time she was done he had already made a run for it. She jumped over the bushes and reached for her dagger as she ran after him.  
  
“WULD NAH KEST!” She shouted and was pushed forward with inhuman speed. As if time had stopped she jumped up on his back and slit his throat in less than a heartbeat. Blood gushed out of his open jugular and the gurgling sounds he made as blood filled his lungs would make anyone sick to their stomach. But Dawn only felt a rush of adrenaline take hold of her. He landed on the ground with a hard thud, his body spasmed as the last sign of life left his body. Dawn straightened her back and cracked her neck. Three contracts, three victims, all dead; by her hand. She dragged his lifeless body over to the river and pushed it in with her foot. His blood was still warm on her hands as she bent down to wash it off. She had been gone five days, it would probably be another two days travel back to Pinewood Forest. She imagined the look on Arnbjorn's face when she enter the hall, that fetcher would probably rip out his hair. She wondered what Astrid would say, would she be proud...or surprised? 

Windhelm stables was just a short walk away from where she was, it was night and no one would be guarding the horses. She had already committed three murders in less than a week - so stealing a horse couldn't be that bad? She started making her way on the narrow path, and it wasn't long before she could make out the faint light coming from the hold. A smile spread across her face, and she started running towards it.

* * *

  
The sun had set long before she reached the sanctuary. After two days on a horseback, without a break for food or shelter, she was exhausted, and dirty. She removed the saddle and the bridle before letting go of the mare. Her leather armour was stained with the blood of her victims, she was not a pretty sight. The door seemed heavier than before and she groaned as she pushed it open with her entire body. She stumbled over the stone steps with one hand on the wall. The foyer was empty, but she heard voices coming from the great hall. She straightened up and tried to tame her hair a bit, which seemed useless.  
  
“And look who's back ha ha!” Nazir's voice echoed. “You actually did it!” He approached her and clapped her on the shoulder.  
  
“You're a mess.” Veezara teased. “And that's a compliment, should have seen me on my first job. Took me three weeks to kill a Khajiit milk drinker.”  
  
She smiled the best she could. In the far back she saw Arnbjorn standing, arms crossed, looking very displeased. Her smile grew at that.  
  
“There she is, our own little champion.” Astrid's voice came from behind the crowd. “Look at you, covered in dirt and blood. You seem to really understand what we are all about.”  
  
“Oh, this? This is nothing. You should see the other guy.” Dawn exhaled, tiredly, but beaming with joy nonetheless.  
  
A roar of laughter filled the hall.  
  
“Astrid, you've really outdone ourself with this one.” Nazir said. “Come, let's celebrate with food and mead!”  
  
The crowd moved, leaving her alone with the blonde woman. Dawn ran a hand through her hair and just then discovered it was full of dried blood.  
  
“We should join them.” She said quietly. It was funny, all she had wanted all week was to be alone with Astrid. She couldn't help it, nor the growing feeling of nervousness when they were in such close proximity. Never had she been the type to find interest in anyone so fast. But this woman, she had never met a person so mysterious.  
  
“Yes, we should. But first...” Her fingers trailed the stained leather over Dawn's collarbone. “You need to clean yourself up, and I need to find you a new set of armour.”

* * *

  
When she came down to the dining hall everybody already had a drink in their hand. The table was filled with all kinds of food and drinks. Her stomach growled loudly when the pleasant smell reached her nose.  
  
“Welcome to your very own initiation, Dawn.” Nazir walked over and put his arm around her shoulders.  
  
“Initiation?” She said and raised her eyebrows. “Don't tell me, I need to drink some weird brew containing blood of a virgin.”  
  
Nazir gave a rich laugh and patted her on the shoulder. “No, we let go of that tradition a few generations ago I'm afraid. Nevertheless, you need a drink.” He handed her a large cup filled with mead before raising his own. “To our little assassin, and to a bright future. Hail Sithis!”  
  
“Hail Sithis!” They all roared in union.  
  
Dawn put her now half empty cup on the table and sat down. She grabbed a big chunk of chicken and ravished it in seconds, then another. Someone sat down beside her, but she was too busy settling the beast inside of her to notice.  
  
“You know, the food would actually taste better if you chewed it.” Astrid said and handed her some cutlery. “These should help.”  
  
Dawn went crimson when she realized how she must have looked. “Sorry, I usually have more etiquette than an Orc.”  
  
Astrid chuckled. “No, no. You've earned it. I bet you haven't eaten in a while.”  
  
“Three days, four hours and thirty two minutes.” She wiped her greasy hands on a damp cloth lying on the table. “I've been through famine before.”  
  
“Oh, really? Mommy and Daddy forget to feed you?” Astrid teased.  
  
Dawn stiffened. She wasn't comfortable talking about her childhood. Astrid seemed to sense her discomfort and cleared her throat.  
  
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be disrespectful.” Her voice sounded sincere, it made her relax a bit.

She took a deep breath as her heartbeat started to increase. “No, it's fine. Really. My parents they...they weren't around a lot. In fact, they left me and my brother to die near Riften.”  
  
She felt Astrid's warm hand close around her own. “You don't have to tell me, Deathbell. We all have our secrets.” Their eyes met and Dawn smiled at the older woman.  
  
“Thank you.” She said and felt Astrid give her hand a light squeeze before letting go. She enjoyed the warmth before it faded.  
  
“You have a family now, and we think you're adorable.”  
  
Dawn couldn't help a girly giggle erupting from her throat. “Is that right? You should have seen me killing that last guy, that was pretty adorable.”  
  
Astrid laughed and Dawn felt a bit proud as the urge to impress the blonde grew stronger with every passing minute they spent together. She looked across the room and spotted Arnbjorn, he was eying her like a hawk. He looked as if he had swallowed half a dozen lemons and washed it down with riekling piss. “I'm not sure if everyone wants me here, though.” When her eyes went back to Astrid, she had moved closer and her arm was resting on the back of Dawn's chair.

“They don't matter.” She whispered into her ear. “If anyone, including my husband, gives you trouble in any way, they will answer to me.” She pressed her lips to Dawn's temple and stood up, grabbing her drink as she walked away.

* * *

  
Dawn crashed down on her bed and exhaled. The feast was still in full swing downstairs. Astrid had left about an hour before, followed by Arnbjorn. It had made Dawn's mood take a drastic turn. She shifted, annoyed with her current state of mind. Astrid would _never_ even look at her like that, she had a husband. An idiot at that, but still, a husband. She looked at the small table beside her bed and smiled. A clean set of armour was folded and placed in top of it. Her eyes lingered a bit before they closed. Tomorrow she would have a day off, Nazir had promised. And she would do nothing but rest.

 


	4. Pins and needles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm currently working on editing and tidying up this story, that's why it's taking a bit longer than I have planned to update the next chapter. But bear with me! Thanks for reading this far and leave a comment if you'd like, feedback is always welcomed with open arms!:)

Two months had passed since she first walked through the doors to her new life. It was Mid Year and she was standing by the lake, grooming Shadowmere. He shimmered in the summer sun, she put her face against his and felt his hair tickle her skin _._ She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sun on her back. She had taken her old leather armour, it still had a bit dried blood here and there, and she had modified it into something less unbearable to wear in the summer heat. The long trousers were cut into shorts and the torso was now perfectly fitting her upper body, leaving her lower back and stomach bare.  
  
“Well, well. Look at you.” Astrid's silky voice came from behind, she had a knack to do that, not that Dawn had _any_ problem with her company - quite the opposite. But all that sneaking up on her just made her heart skip a beat and her cheeks turn crimson. “I think you've been working hard enough for one day.” Her hand caressed Shadowmere's mane, then went over Dawn's shoulder before continuing down her damp back. She stopped right above where the line of her shorts begun. Dawn felt her fingers touch the uneven skin.

“Who did this to you?” She said, clearly concerned.  
  
Dawn turned around and caught Astrid's worried, green eyes. “Oh, that. Stormcloak soldier in Riften. I stole some bread...” She answered and began to chew on the inside of her cheek. It was a memory she wasn't very fond of, but that had been her life - her normal.

“I see.” Her eyes fell upon Dawn's abdomen where the long scars ended.  
  
“I was fourteen, and hungry. I guess he just wanted a reason to try out his new toy. So, he chained me to one of the stalls in the marketplace and whipped me three times, and no one lifted a finger. They just stood there, staring as his cane teared my flesh apart.” She felt hatred burn in her veins. "I will find him one day, and I will kill him," she continued as tears of anger rolled down her cheeks and she turned away, she didn't want to appear weak in front of the woman.

“Do you know who he is, his name?” The sudden change in her tone sent a shiver down Dawn's spine.  
  
“I don't...I don't know. I haven't seen him since...It was a long time ago," she responded, Astrid put a hand on her shoulder. She spun around and was pulled into a tight embrace. She smelled good, like morning grass, and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on. Dawn nuzzled up against her neck, she never wanted her to let go.  
  
“Oh, my sweet Deathbell.” She whispered and stroked her hair gently. “He will pay for what he did to you.”  
  
“What do you mean?” Dawn sniffled.  
  
Astrid chuckled. “I just mean that something like that tends to come back to you, one way or another.” She said and pressed her lips against Dawn’s forehead. “Now, let's get inside before you burn the skin off your bone.”  
  
Dawn snickered and wiped her tears away as a pleasant flutter took hold of her body.

* * *

  
They'd all eaten together that afternoon. It had finally started to feel like everyone had fully accepted her into the family. Except for Arnbjorn, of course - he still called her names like “tidbit” and “beef roast”. Much to her surprise, Astrid had given him a long, bone chilling stare when Dawn tried to make friendly conversation and he'd answered “don't try to get to know me” and “the colour blue gives me a headache”. Dawn had given up on him, at least everybody else seemed to think she was an asset to the brotherhood.  
  
Astrid had excused herself from the table, followed by Nazir. When he came back his eyes fell upon Dawn before speaking to them all.  
  
“Astrid's gone out on business. She'll be back within a fortnight.” He said shortly and proceeded to undo the table.  
  
Arnbjorn, who had been shooting short glances at the door since Astrid had left, frowned deeply. “You told me yesterday we don't have any contracts.” He said suspiciously.   
  
“Stand down, dog.” Nazir's deep voice echoed around the hall, Dawn jumped a bit in surprise. “You forget _who's_ in charge here when our mistress is gone. Astrid is out on personal business, no further discussions.”  
  
Arnbjorn stood up, his chair scraping harshly over the stone floor. He gave Dawn a surly stare and left without saying another word.  
  
“Astrid needs to keep a leash on her pet, don't you agree?” Festus Krex croaked before scooping a big spoon of stew into his mouth.  
  
“I'll have a word with her when she comes home.” Nazir answered, and they all understood it was time to change the subject. “Now, who wants a sweetroll?”

* * *

  
It had been thirteen days since she had last seen Astrid. The days seemed to pass in slow motion without her or any job to keep Dawn busy. She had bought some books from Babette, deciding it was the best way to pass the time, and learn more about healing spells. She had been buried into the thick pages for hours before putting the book down on the bedside table. Everyone was asleep, their snores echoed between the stiff stone walls. As sleep was the last thing on her mind, for once, she tiptoed out of the chamber and grabbed her archery gear as she did.  
  
The training hall was chilly and dark. Good thing she'd compensated her almost naked torso with her long black and burgundy leather trousers. She put the quiver filled with steel arrows down on the ground and picked one up, appended it to the string of her bow and aimed at the stuffed hay sack masquerading as a human body. She let go and it swished past its fake head. “Oh, bugger.” She exhaled and looked at the arrow lying on the floor.  
  
“Can't sleep?” Said a voice behind her, and her insides fluttered.  
  
Dawn looked over her shoulder to her left, a smile spread across her face at the older woman leaning against the nearby stone pillar. “You're back!” She beamed even wider and Astrid gave her a radiant smile in return.  
  
The blonde pushed herself upright and held her arms out. “Come here.” Her voice was low and hoarse, but it had a joyous ring to it nonetheless. Dawn let go of the bow and it fell to the ground with a clatter. She hugged the taller woman around the waist and shivered when Astrid's fingers caressed her lower back. They stood like that for a short while before she broke the contact and looked over Dawn's shoulder.  
  
“Pick up the bow.” She ordered and Dawn studied her face before walking over to the piece of crafted wood laying on the floor. “Now, place the arrow on the string and draw, slowly.” She said as she went over to stand beside her.  
  
“Is this a lesson?” Dawn asked playfully, but she went stiff when Astrid stood behind her and pressed her leather covered torso tightly to Dawn's half naked back.

“If you'd like.” She whispered into her ear.  
  
She swallowed hard and tried to keep her hands as steady as she could. “Very much.”  
  
“Right then. Aim at the chest and take a deep breath.” Her right hand traveled up Dawn's abdomen until her fingers were right under the fabric covering her breasts. “Hold it steady until your aim is perfectly still.”  
  
Her mind was racing, she felt Astrid's breath against her chin and her chest pressed against her back. She forgot everything about what she was doing for a second and leaned into the contact.  
  
“Focus, Deathbell. You've got one shot. Hold your breath.” Dawn squinted her eyes toward her target. “Let go.” Astrid whispered, her warm breath caressed Dawn's neck.  
  
And she did. The arrow went full speed and hit the sack square in the chest. Astrid smirked against her chin and stepped back, cool air swept over Dawn's flesh and she missed the warmth of the other woman's body.  
  
“See, you're a natural at everything you do.” Astrid said and brushed away the stubborn strand of hair that always fell over Dawn's face.  
  
“I did have some help, though. I'm pretty sure that was all you.” She smiled at back at her, she had a mysterious glow in her eyes Dawn had never seen before.  
  
“You're a smart girl, I think you'll manage without having me looking over you shoulder all the time.” She stepped closer and lifted her hand to Dawn's face, her thumb brushing her cheek gently. “But, I must say I really enjoy your company.”  
  
A loud snore came from the sleeping quarters and caught their attention, they looked confusingly at each other before bursting into laughter. “How about a drink before bed, hm? I've got something for you, a _gift_ of sorts.”

Dawn nodded, took her outstretched hand and followed her into the dining area. They sat down and Dawn watched Astrid open a small pouch by her hip and fish out a piece of folded cloth. She handed it to Dawn who looked at it in confusion.  
  
“What's this?” She whispered, not wanting anyone upstairs to wake up and ruin their privacy.  
  
“Open it.” Astrid urged, clearly excited about the small piece of fabric. She opened a bottle of ale and filled two cups generously.  
  
Dawn unfolded the cloth and found a ring inside, It was engraved with a raging bear, the symbol of the Stormcloaks.  “Where did you get this?” She turned the ring in her hand, for something so small it had quite the weight to it.  
  
“It belonged to a soldier named Quintus Bane. He was a vice admiral of the Stormcloak Rebellion. Eight years ago he chained a young girl up and beat her with a cane in front of an audience in Riften.” She took Dawn's hand and closed it around the ring. “I took this ring from his cold, dead hands, after sending his miserable soul to Sithis.” Her words were laced with bile, it was as frightening to her as it was flattering.  
  
Dawn's blue eyes shot up. “That's where you went? You did that...for me?” She couldn't believe her ears.  
  
“You are a part of this family, and we take care of each other.” She leaned forward. “I wanted to do this, for you. I am sorry if I overstepped, but I'm not sorry for ending his life, miserable coward. I enjoyed watching him die.” She spat.

They sat in silence for a moment before Dawn spoke. “I never imagined anyone would ever do anything for me, let alone something like... _that_. Believe me, I'm very grateful.” Tears of joy glistened in her eyes. It was morbid, feeling happy about something like that. But, if this was Astrid's way of showing care she could kill every person that had ever done her harm.  
  
“For you, Dawn, I'd do it again.” They way she said her name set off a tingle in the pit of her stomach. “Now, let's drink.” She handed one of the cups to Dawn who gladly accepted.  
  
“Hail Sithis.” Astrid lifted her drink proudly.  
  
“Hail Sithis.” Dawn replied and did the same before they drank together. “How did you find him? I didn't even give you a name.” She asked and wiped ale off her upper lip with the back of her hand.  
  
“I have my ways of persuasion.” She answered and refilled the cups. “You'd be surprised how many actually remember this. Regretting their cowardice and not standing up for you.” Astrid rolled her eyes as she spoke.  
  
“Right," Dawn said in disbelief, "is that why they applauded merrily with every lash? No, they're just weak people." She muttered bitterly.  
  
“Exactly what I thought.” Astrid sipped her ale and licked her lips. Dawn looked at them, she let her eyes linger a bit too long before she realized Astrid had caught her staring, a playful smirk spread across the older woman's features. Dawn blinked and tried to focus on something else.

“So, eight years ago. That makes you...twenty two?” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs as she watched her with her intense, green eyes.  
  
Dawn's cheeks turned crimson. “Um, yeah. 28th of Frost Fall to be exact.” She took a big gulp of her drink and tried to figure out a way to smooth over her staring incident. “Speaking of which, you've never told me your age?”  
  
Astrid chuckled and traced the brim of her cup with her finger. “Oh, my sweet girl. If you knew that you'd be running up to bed, tail between your legs.”  
  
“What makes you say that?” Her curiosity grew, not that Astrid's evident older age would make any difference, she would still find her exceedingly captivating.  
  
“Add twenty years to your age and you'll have mine,” she said with a sigh, “I know, I know. I'm an old crone and before I know it I'll be losing my eyesight as well as my hair.”  
  
Dawn snickered at her sour sarcasm. “That's not true, and I will not run and hide.” She reached for Astrid's hand. “And for what it's worth, I think you're amazing...and you don't look that bad for an old lady.”  
  
Astrid gasped as she grabbed a fist full of grapes and tossed it at the laughing girl. “You little skeever!”

“Astrid?” Arnbjorn was standing in the doorway, he looked as if someone had stolen his favorite chew toy. “When did you come back?”  
  
Astrid stood up and walked over to him. She gave him a kiss and Dawn looked down at the half filled cup in her hand, trying to blur out the reality. “I just got back, come husband. Let's go to bed.” Her fingers closed around his elbow. “Sweet dreams, Deathbell.” She said and left the room. Arnbjorn stood still, he seemed to be working out some difficult equation inside his brain as he stared her down. Dawn met his eyes with equivalent distaste before he finally turned and left. He was delusional if he actually thought there was something going on. Just as delusional as herself, actually. She finished her cup and went back to bed.

* * *

  
The next morning she woke up with a looming headache right above her eyes. She really was a light weight when it came to drinking, her Nord ancestors would cry if they saw her. Walking down the stairs to the dining hall felt like falling down a rocky mountain in a barrel. Nazir sat by the table, engaged in at least five different scrolls. Dawn shambled over and sat down heavily opposite the man.

“Rough night?” He said without looking up from his work.  
  
Dawn poured water into the biggest cup she could reach. “Might say that, couldn't sleep.” She finished the cup in one swig.  
  
He put the scroll down and looked at her. “So, you were awake when Astrid returned?”  
  
Dawn didn't like the tone he used, there was almost an accusing quality to it. “Yeah, why?”  
  
He studied her for a moment. “It's not my place to lecture you about how you chose to build relationships in this family.” He entwined his fingers and rested them on the table. “A word of caution, though. This particular family doesn't take kindly to Astrid having favorites. Yes,” he lifted his hand in the air before she could interrupt him, “she is married to Arnbjorn, but that happened before she became leader.”  
  
Dawn leaned back into her seat, trying to understand where he was going with this. “And does _us_ include you, Nazir?  
  
He chuckled and shook his head. “I don't engage in politics, I'm just our Mistress's humble adviser who occasionally hand out contracts.”  
  
Dawn grabbed an apple and bit off a large chunk. “Then I don't see why we are having this conversation?” She said between chews.

“I have been here many years, and I have never seen Astrid taking a shine to any new recruits, that is until you came along. Probably because they either died, or vanished after a couple of weeks, your generation really baffles me with your inability to focus during a contract. But you, you're special, especially to Astrid.” He paused and looked her in the eye, she swallowed hard and the half chewed piece of apple scraped uncomfortably down her throat. “You need to watch yourself with her, or more specifically, her husband. I don't like chaos, and I want this sanctuary to remain clean and werewolf-tantrum-free. Do you understand?” He nodded slowly towards her to put an emphasis on those last words. Dawn nodded back but remained silent. The taste of sweet apple in her mouth became stale as she realized he must have seen and heard more than she had thought. _Sneaky old sod,_ she thought bitterly.  
_  
_ “You have nothing to worry about, I assure you.” She said calmly as she stood up. The shame she felt was too overwhelming and she just wanted to be alone. She excused herself and went up to her bed where she fell down heavily. When the humiliation subsided she pondered over what he had said. Did Astrid really care for her and if she did, in what way? Did her eyes too linger upon Dawn's lips when no one was watching? Was she the last thing on her mind before she fell asleep, and the first when she woke up? All the thoughts rushing through her head started to make her brain hurt. She reached under her pillow and pulled out the ring engraved with the head of a bear. She smiled as her mind went back to the previous night, and not before long she went back to sleep.

* * *

  
A few hours later she had woken up and felt much better. She stretched out on the bed before standing up and proceeded to equip her gear. When she went into the training hall she spotted Nazir and felt an instant urge to turn back.  
  
“Ah, Dawn. Finally awake I see.” He said and walked over to her. She cursed mentally as he approached her. “I've got some work for you, if you're interested?”  
  
“Um, yeah. Of course...yeah. What have you got?” She couldn't bear to meet his eyes.  
  
He removed a piece of parchment from his robe and a small box. “Veezara found this on his last kill, we need to get it valued or, if we're lucky, purchased directly.” He handed the box to Dawn who turned it in her hand.  
  
“Okay, you want me to go to the nearest town and find a merchant or..?”  
  
Nazir chortled at that. “I'm afraid that's not how we do business here,” he gave her the note, “you need to travel to the Ragged Flagon. I've been told you're quite familiar with the Thieves Guild.”  
  
Dawn's eyes shot up. “Who told you that?”  
  
“Don't underestimate my skill in finding interesting information about you,” he said and Dawn decided to take that as another _word of caution._ “You'll find all the details on that note,” he pointed at the piece of paper in her hand and walked past her.  
  
“Nazir.” She heard him stop in his tracks behind her.  
  
“Yes?”  
  
She inhaled deeply and chose her next words carefully. “Is there anything else I should know about me?”  
  
There was a long pause and the silence made her perplexed mind throb against her forehead.  
  
“You just focus on doing right by the Brotherhood, Dawn.”  
  
She stood dumbfounded with the note in one hand and the box in the other. He started to hum on some eerie song as he made his way up the stairs. She had so many questions. If he knew so much about her why not just get it over with and make her use the voice? If the rest of the family knew about her abilities they would want to use her as a weapon, and she was done being used for her gift, _or curse,_ rather. She sat down on the stone steps and started to fiddle with the box in her hand. She held it up and tried to find a way to open it. There was a small gem on one side but nothing happened when she pressed it. Her eyes went to the note, _great,_ she thought. Apparently she was to get the box appraised by Delvin Mallory. The last time she had met him he had been insanely drunk and tried to cop a feel which had led to her giving him a pretty solid black eye.  
  
“Okay.” She said aloud to herself and stood up, as if it would make everything easier. Maybe some time away from the sanctuary would do her good.

* * *

  
Two days later she entered the gates of Riften. It was night time, which was good since the guards were tired and didn't seem to notice her lurking in the dark. She slipped past a drunken crowd outside The Bee and Barb and made her way down the wooden stairs and didn't stop until she reached the door to the Ratway, inside it smelled like rotten meat. She held her hand over her nose and mouth as an attempt to block out the foul odour; it didn't help. She had no idea how she'd managed to walk around there on a regular basis a few years before. “Ugh!” She burst out when she past a pile of half eaten rats rotting on the ground. She reached the door to The Flagon and as soon as she slipped inside the atmosphere was immediately replaced by scary, sentimental feelings. There seemed to be a lot of people over at the bar area, her stomach tingled nervously. The first person to notice her was Vex, her eyes widened as she put her drink down and ran over to Dawn to pull her into a tight embrace.  
  
“I haven't heard anything from you in ages.” She let go and smiled softly at the younger woman. “I thought you were dead. We all did.”  
  
Dawn returned her smile. “I'm not dead. But I do need a drink, though.”  
  
“I'll get you one right away, then we can catch up.” Vex was about to head to the bar when Dawn grabbed her arm.  
  
“Vex, I'm not here to chit chat, really. I'm working.” The blonde stared at her for a moment. Then, to Dawn's surprise she let out a soft laugh.  
  
“I know, you're with the Dark Brotherhood now, right? I always knew the life of a thief wasn't for you.” Her lips became a thin line as she locked eyes with Dawn. “Your hands always craved tougher assignments.”  
  
Dawn felt long past emotions stir up inside of her and her cheeks started to burn. She cleared her throat. “I thought you said all of you believed I had kicked the bucket?”  
  
Vex's eyebrow arched becomingly. “Yeah, well, up until a few hours ago. You're not the first assassin in red and black that has payed us a visit today. But, I didn't take her word for it. I needed to see you for myself.” She beamed at her.  
  
Dawn's heart skipped a beat. “Who-?”  
  
“I didn't catch her name, a blondie.” She interrupted. “Apparently, she and Delvin are _old friends._ I felt it was best to stop asking questions after that.” She made a disgusted face.  
  
Dawn felt as if someone had dropped a dead boar over her shoulders. Jealousy clawed inside of her entire body as images of Astrid and _him_ floated around inside her head.  
  
“She's still here, you know.” Vex's soft voice brought her back to reality. “I think she's waiting for you in the cistern.”  
  
She clenched her jaw as she tried to calm herself, she didn't want Vex to see her like that _._ ”She can wait," she said sternly, "I'm here to see Delvin.”  
  
Vex studied her for a moment. “He's over at the bar. I'll take you to him.” She spun around and Dawn followed her. “He's been in a bad mood all day, probably because I gave him a letter explaining my opinion about him sneaking around in the bushes during my morning swim.”  
  
“Ugh, creep.” Dawn grumbled out as she spotted the man sitting by the counter. “Hey, Vex-,”  
  
“Yes?” She turned back to Dawn, whom was still looking at Delvin over Vex's shoulder. When her eyes went back to the blonde she managed to form a smile.  
  
“This won't take all night, maybe we can grab a drink afterwards?”  
  
Vex grinned. “I wouldn't miss it for the world, kiddo.”  
  
She turned and proceeded towards Delvin, he hadn't seemed to notice them as Vex tapped him annoyingly on the shoulder. “You've got company.” He shifted in his chair and caught a glimpse of Dawn. She didn't like the hoarse chuckle coming from him before he emptied his drink.  
  
“Was wondering when you'd show your pretty li'l face 'ere again.” He motioned her to sit down beside him. Dawn and Vex exchanged stares before the blonde put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
“If he touches you, I'll cut his freaking hands off.” She half whispered. Delvin scoffed at that and ordered two drinks from Vekel. Dawn sat down beside him and smiled at the barkeeper.  
  
“Good to see you, Vekel.” She said and he nodded at her in response. Delvin slid her drink over and she took a generous gulp.  
  
“Your lovely mistress arrived a few hours ago, seems proud of her new _creation_.” He droned. Dawn made a face, hearing him talking about Astrid made her nauseous.  
  
“I'm not her creation, and I'm not here to talk about Astrid.” She answered surly.  
  
“Ouff, someone's acting thuggish. I like that.” He smiled at her unpleasantly.  
  
Dawn ignored him and grabbed the small box inside her pouch. “I need you to assess this for me.” She handed it to him and saw his eyes widen in delight.  
  
“Wha' a li'l beauty. I wonder where you lot got your pretty paws on this?” He turned it in his hands.  
  
“How much?” Dawn asked crustily, she wanted this meeting to end sooner rather than later.  
  
“A lot, if you find the right buyer.” His thumb caressed the little gem. “I'll give you twenty thousand for it.”  
  
Dawn blinked. “Sorry? Did you say twenty?”  
  
“Thousand, yeah. Thirty if you shut up 'bout it out on the streets. As far as you're concerned, you've never seen it.” He reached out his hand. “Deal?”  
  
She accepted his gesture and gave it a firm shake. “Deal.”  
  
“Always a pleasure, doll. If there's anything else you might need tonight, you know where to find me.” He winked at her and she had to fight the urge to hurl.  
  
“Just get the gold and we're even.” She said and jumped off the bar stool. When she turned around there was a big figure standing in her way.  
  
“Brynjolf.” She exhaled and threw her arms around the tall man without hesitating. He chuckled and gave her a firm squeeze around her back.  
  
“Welcome back, lass. We've missed you.” He smiled genuinely and she smiled back even wider. Brynjolf had been one of the few men she had ever trusted. He had always been kind to her, even when she was their newest member. He had been like the father she'd never had. When she left, saying goodbye to him had been the biggest heartbreak she had suffered so far.  
  
“I've missed you too.” Her eyes almost teared up by all the sentimental feelings inside of her. She'd never understood how much she had missed the guild, until now.  
  
Vex approached and stood beside her, her fingers closed around Dawn's arm. “Brynjolf, join us for a drink?”  
  
“I'd love to, but I'm afraid I've got some paperwork to attend to.” He patted Dawn on the shoulder. “I hope you'll consider paying us a visit again.” He said as his eyes followed Vex whom sat down at a table and filled two cups with mead.  
  
Dawn nodded. “I promise.”  
  
“That's the spirit, lass.” He turned to leave but stopped when he seemed to remember something. “Oh, I'll tell Astrid you're done with your business, she'll be with you in a moment.”  
  
Dawn still couldn't believe Astrid was there, the whole situation felt so surrealistic. She watched Brynjolf disappear around the corner and for a brief moment she forgot about Vex waiting for her by a table in the back. She walked over and sat down opposite her friend. They both sat in silence for a moment.  
  
“Dawn, I never wanted you to leave. I'm sorry I pushed you away. I just got so confused and...”  
  
“Scared?” Dawn added, she dipped her finger into her drink as she tried to not show how uncomfortable the conversation made her.  
  
“Yeah. I really did care about you, I still do. And, well, I really enjoyed spending time with you.”

Dawn smiled but her eyes remained fixed on her drink. “So did I.” She confessed. “You were my first, well, everything.”

She heard Vex laugh softly as her hands reached for Dawn's. “I still dream about you, sometimes.” Vex switched chairs to the one beside her. The air around them seemed to change, and Vex leaned in for a kiss. Dawn dismissed her and looked down at her hands.

“Vex, I...I'm sorry, I just- I can't.” She said solemnly. She couldn't bear to look at the other woman, she knew that must have hurt her.

“Oh, I guess I misinterpreted the situation. Don't be sorry.” She moved back to the chair opposite Dawn and took a big gulp out of her cup. “So, who is she?”  
  
Dawn chuckled as her fingers started to trace the carvings in the cup. “Is it that obvious?”  
  
“Come on, I know you. I don't think you would push me aside if it weren't for another woman.” She said self-assuringly.  
  
“Don't make this more awkward than it already is.” She shook her head as her cheeks turn into a bright, red colour. The whole situation was just too bizarre. Her ex-lover trying to collect information on her new love interest, that was something she never thought would happen.  
  
“It's undoubtedly someone in the Brotherhood, I mean, the people you meet on the outside always end up dead.” Vex rested her face on her knuckles as her eyes squinted at Dawn. “You've always liked older women, you do love being bossed around, although, not too much.” Dawn smiled dreamily at her profile.  
  
“I hope you never have to investigate a crime scene, you're so bad at this.” Dawn mocked. Vex's eyes widened as her focus went over Dawn's head.  
  
“It's _her._ You're crushing on your leader?” Vex hissed and leaned back in her chair as her mouth fell open.  
  
Dawn hushed her. “Can you not do that, Vex?”  
  
“I'm sorry but, really?" She leaned forward again and spoke a little lower this time, "do you know she's been with Delvin?”

Vex needed to shut it before anyone heard her. “Yeah, I got that. And she's married to a werewolf and nothing is ever gonna happen. It's just a silly infatuation. So shut up, please.” She pleaded, and realized she had managed to fall for the one person she could never get.  
  
“Oh, let me be the judge of that.” Vex seemed pleased by her discovery. “She's on her way over, by the way.” Dawn froze in her seat and Vex stood up to greet Astrid. “Hi, I'm Vex, friend of Dawn's.” They grabbed each others forearms. “She's told me _so_ much about you.” She continued and winked at Dawn.  
  
Astrid looked at The bluenette, her expression somewhat hard to read.

“Astrid. Funny, Dawn has never mentioned you.” She said and arched an eyebrow.  
  
“You never asked.” Dawn said quietly. The moment suffocated her, she watched the two women stare each other down. “Why don't you join us, Astrid?” She offered.  
  
Vex looked at Dawn. “You two go ahead, I've got some work to do.” She bent down and hugged Dawn around the neck. “I'm rooting for you.” She whispered before letting go. She nodded respectfully at Astrid who gave her a quick smile before she sat down beside Dawn.  
  
“You two seemed to know each other well.” She said stiffly, her eyes not meeting the younger woman's.  
  
“Yeah, probably as well as you and Delvin.” She snarled back without thinking and instantly felt ashamed. “I'm sorry, that was...”   
  
Astrid reached out and touched Dawn's hand, that rested on her thigh. “Don't be. I shouldn't have gotten so defensive. It's not like I own you.” Their eyes met and Dawn smiled shyly.  
  
“And I should not care what you do, or have done.” _But I do,_ she finished the sentence mentally. Jealousy still tingled in the back of her mind. She pushed her thoughts aside and decided to change the subject. “How did you know I would come here? Vex said you arrived a few hours before me.”  
  
Astrid smirked. “As I've told you before, I have my ways.” She said in a silky voice as her fingers traced Dawn's jawline. “I was actually on my way back from a job and happened to stumble upon Delvin outside of Whiterun. So, I decided to take a little detour, and here we are.”  
  
Dawn didn't entirely believe that was the whole truth, but she knew Astrid enjoyed being mysterious so she left it at that. “And the job?” She looked at Astrid and expected her to start bragging about how she had decorated a room with her victim's blood and guts.  
  
Astrid took a sip out of Dawn's cup. “We'll discuss it later. Now, why don't you get Shadowmere ready while I collect some supplies for our journey home. He's right outside the cistern.”  
  
Dawn probably looked as puzzled as she felt. She nodded and stood up, curiosity nagging her brain. “Hang on, Astrid. Why can't you tell me now?”  
  
The older woman stood up beside her. Her hands ran down Dawn's strong arms as her green eyes shimmered in the dim light. “Because you are too eager, Deathbell.” She leaned closer and the girl held her breath as the older woman’s eyes traveled from her eyes to her lips. “Now, go. Ah, and don't forget to collect the gold from Mallory.” She let go and gently pushed Dawn away from the table. Her legs felt slightly unsteady, she caught Vex's eyes whom simply winked at her and rose her cup in the air. _“Oh, shut up.”_ She mimicked as a smile spread across her face.

 


	5. The contract

“The Emperor?” Dawn's mouth fell open. “You want _me_ to assassinate Titus Mede?”  
  
Nazir looked a bit too pleased for her liking. “No, I'm _ordering_ you to do your job as a member of this family.” He began to pace around her. “This is an opportunity of a lifetime. We'd be fools to turn down this contract.”  
  
“If the posh little milk drinker don't want it, I'd be happy to go.” Arnbjorn cut in, making Dawn close her eyes in annoyance.  
  
“She will go.” Astrid's voice came out of nowhere as she entered the room. She stopped right next to Dawn. “And she won't be going alone.”  
  
“You can't be serious?” Arnbjorn took his wife's arm. “We need you here.”  
  
She yanked herself free from his grip and turned to Nazir. His eyes went from her, to Dawn, and back. “I'm afraid I will have to agree with Arnbjorn. You are the leader of this sanctuary.”  
  
“Thank you!” Arnbjorn burst out and motioned to Nazir.  
  
A low chuckle came from Astrid as she shook her head and rubbed her temple. “This is _not_ a one man job. Do you want to go with her?” She looked at her husband. Dawn just stood there, silent, she felt like a child among arguing grown ups.  
  
“By Sithis, no!” Arnbjorn bellowed. He stepped over to his wife and stood tall above her, but Astrid stood her ground and looked him straight in the eye; Dawn was glad she wasn't between them. “I would strangle her in her sleep, annoying little prat.”  
  
“That settles it then.” Astrid drawled. She turned to Dawn, who was ready to put a sword right between the wolfman's shoulder blades. “I'll go with you.”  
  
Nazir didn't seem convinced. “Astrid, is this really necessary? Anyone else would do...”  
  
“Why don't you sign up then, hmm? Or ask Festus, or Babette...” Nazir took a step back, clearly admitting his defeat. “No? I didn't think so.”  
  
“My apologies. I...Respect your decision.” He said in a low voice and gave a slight bow.  
  
“Good. As you said, _I_ am the leader of the Dark Brotherhood, and you put your trust in me - end of discussion.”  
  
Nazir bowed his head again at his mistress. “Dawn, follow me. I need to fill you in on the details.”

Astrid reached out and stroked Dawn's cheek. “Go, I'll saddle Shadowmere and then we'll leave, I can't stand another minute in this place.”  
  
She left and Dawn walked over to Nazir who struggled with keeping his paper rolls apart. She chewed the inside of her cheek, she had so many questions but the man seemed too stung to talk; especially to her. She decided to wait until she could talk to Astrid - at least it didn't seem like she wanted to bite her head off.

* * *

  
About half an hour later she was making her way up the stairs. She was lost in thought when, suddenly, the way was blocked. Arnbjorn stood in front of her, his eyes were glowing like a wolf's; he looked insane.  
  
“Let me just make one thing very clear, beef roast.” He stared her down, it definitely looked like he resisted the urge to smash her face in with his fist. “If you as much as look at my wife in a way that I don't like, I'll cut out your eyeballs and stuff them down your throat.”  
  
Dawn looked at him wide eyed before bursting into laughter.  
  
“You think I'm joking?” He said between gritted teeth.  
  
“And how could you possibly know, will you come with us? Spy on us, maybe?” She was testing his patience, she knew that. But it was too hard to resist the urge to make him growl like the dog he was.

Arnbjorn leaned forward. “Don't play games with me, human. I've seen the way you look at her. You think you can make me look like a fool?” He grabbed her wrist, it hurt as she tried to jerk herself free.  
  
“With all due respect, I don't think you need any help with that," a hard tug made his grip loosen and let go, "get out of my way.” She felt the dragon blood burn inside her veins. She was ready to shout him out of the way if she needed to. But he finally stepped back and let her through.  
  
“You better be back within a fortnight!” He bellowed behind her. She didn't bother answering him, it wouldn't make any difference.

She opened the door to the sanctuary. The sun stung in her eyes and she blinked to make them adjust to the light. Astrid stood by the black pond with Shadowmere, strapping his saddle. Dawn walked over to her, still shaking from her previous encounter.  
  
“Ah, at last. You've got the map, and the bedrolls?”  
  
Dawn nodded silently and handed her the equipment.  
  
“What's wrong?” Her concerned voice made Dawn feel a bit better. Astrid put the last of the equipment on top of the horse's back. Her hands caressed the younger woman's face and Dawn leaned into the touch. “I don't regret my decision, I don't want you to go alone.”  
  
“Why are you so good to me, Astrid?” The flutter in her chest didn't subside when she saw Astrid's soft smile.  
  
“You need to get used to people liking you, Deathbell. Not everyone is like my husband.” She helped Dawn up on the horse's back. She then hopped up behind her and grabbed the rein under Dawn's arms. “Grab hold of his mane.”  
  
“But, won't that hurt him?” She asked.  
  
“Well, aren't you lovely.” She purred. “Shadowmere is, in fact, the only member of The Dark Brotherhood that can't feel pain. So, go ahead.”  
  
Dawn looked down at the black mane, grabbed a fist full of hair and held on tight. She felt Astrid's thighs press against her own as the horse started moving. She dared to lean back a little and felt Astrid's chest move along with a short chuckle that made Dawn's body tingle.

“Can I ask you something?” Dawn said a few minutes later.

“Ask away, Deathbell.” Came a mumble from behind.

“I want to know why I had to take this contract?” She asked gingerly.  
  
Her question dangled in the air for a moment. She heard Astrid sigh heavily. “Yesterday, before we met in Riften, I had met with a client in a place called Volonruud,” she clicked her tongue twice and Shadowmere picked up his pace, “he had certain demands for his rare request, one of them was that you carried out the contract.”  
  
A deep frown wrinkled Dawn's forehead. “Who's the client?” She asked.

“That's not important.” Came a short reply. “What I find interesting is that he seemed to know quite a lot about you, but he refused to share any information with me. My question is, why?” Astrid's voice had changed, and Dawn felt nervousness grab hold of her as her mind struggled with a response. She trusted Astrid, more than anyone, but she wasn't ready to talk about her rare ability - not yet anyway.  
  
“I have no idea.” She sat up straighter. “Maybe he knew me from my days in the Thieves Guild. I've built up quite the reputation in Riften.” That was a lie. Dawn had proved to be a very gifted burglar, but she hardly became famous for it. Her hands held on so tight to Shadowmere that her knuckles whitened. If Astrid bought her lie she would able to keep her past to herself a little longer. Ever since she had found the voice and learned to control it she had used it to survive in combat as well as in her everyday life. However, it would be hard to contain herself if they stumbled upon some obstacles on the way, she knew how the dragon souls inside of her raged in the heat of battle.  
  
“Alright then.” Said the woman, not sounding entirely convinced. There was a pause as Astrid seemed to figure out what to say next. “You remind me of how much of a closed book you are sometimes. I don't want you to feel pressured into unwrapping your secrets to the family, but I also want you to know that you can tell me anything.”

That said, Dawn felt herself loosen up a little and her body leaned back into Astrid's figure once again.  
  
“I know.” She replied quietly.  
  
They past through Falkreath and headed northwest. Dawn did not look forward to the cold climate in the north. Their armour would protect them against wind, but the nights would be frigid - and eventually, so would the days. She shivered by the thought and tried to focus on the warmth radiating from Astrid's body behind her.  
  
“Isn't it risky to be on the road in broad daylight? I mean, It's not like we're hiding who we are.” Her eyes searched for movement in the forest, soon they would enter Forsworn territory and things could get ugly.  
  
“And just when I thought you couldn't get more endearing.” She crooned. Dawn knew she might have sounded a bit naive, not very fitting for an assassin. Astrid had probably done this countless of times and lived to tell the tale. “You'll find that most potential threats will leave us alone, save for predatory animals. But, if someone tries to attack us we either flee or give them hell.”  
  
Dawn snickered at the woman's enthusiasm. “Sounds easy enough.”

* * *

  
A few hours later the sun had disappeared behind the thick forest and the cool air latched onto their bodies. Astrid steered Shadowmere off the road and into the woods to find somewhere they could set up camp. Eventually, they came to a small glade secluded enough to give them a few hours of sleep. Dawn pulled off the gear and the saddle from the stallion and dropped it on the ground. His body steamed when the cool air closed around it and his face turned to Dawn's, she could see gratitude reflect in his red eyes. She scratched him behind his ear and he wiggled in response.  
  
“Good boy.” She whispered. Behind her she heard Astrid begin to unfold their bedrolls. Dawn looked around and found a few twigs and branches they could use to build a fire. When she'd dropped them on a semi-dry spot close to the bedrolls Astrid threw her two pieces of flint.  
  
“Try and see if you can get that fire going, I'll get more wood.” She stumbled away further into the woods and Dawn started grinding the two stone's together. When she was sure the woman was out of hearing range she used the voice to light the fire. There was no way in hell she would sit on the cold ground rubbing stones against each other for twenty minutes. 

“You won't tell on me, right?” She turned to Shadowmere who looked seemingly unperturbed.  
  
He bent his head down and started munching on the grass by the tree he was hitched to. She considered that as a 'no' and proceeded to put rocks around the crackling wood to keep it contained. Ten minutes later Astrid came back with a pile of wood in her arms. She dropped it on the ground and exhaled loudly. She looked wide eyed at the fire that had grown intensely by the campsite.  
  
“By Sithis, you work fast.” She put a few logs into the flames and sat down to poke them in place with a stick. The light cast shadows on her face and Dawn felt completely discombobulated by the older woman's beauty.  
  
“Is something wrong?” Her voice cut through Dawn's reverie and she blinked a few times in surprise.  
  
“Uh, no. It's nothing.” She stared intensely into the fire. “You hungry?”  
  
They locked eyes and Astrid studied her for a moment. The flames reflection danced in her heavily lidded eyes, Dawn would give her left hand to know what was going on inside her mind.  
  
“Yes, I could eat.” She finally replied but kept her intense stare upon Dawn. She nodded and reached for the sack containing the food rations.  
  
“So, what are you in the mood for?” She dug around in the bag and fished out a linen pouch. “Festus's horrible dried rabbit meat, or...” Her hand picked up another pouch. “Babette's notorious stale bread with goat cheese that is probably as old as herself?” She smelled the piece of cheese in her hand and wrinkled her nose in disgust. Astrid burst out laughing and so did Dawn, she loved seeing her smile. “I will personally punish whoever told a vampire who hasn't eaten food in over three centuries to cook for us.” She split the bread and cheese in half and handed Astrid her portion.  
  
“Well,” Astrid tittered and took the food from Dawn's hand. “That would be me.”  
  
Dawn, who was just about to take a bite, stopped and stared dumbstruck at the woman. “Oh, sorry.” She managed to say as she felt her face burn with embarrassment. Lucky for her it was too dark for Astrid to notice the sudden change of her normally fair complexion.

“It's fine, Deathbell. And by all means, punish me in any way you see fit.” She said in a sultry voice that sent a tingle through Dawn's body. She didn't know how to respond to that, and as if Astrid had read her mind she cleared her throat and changed the subject.  
  
“It's good to be away from the Sanctuary for a while, don't you think?”

Dawn watched her sniff the cheese before she made a face and threw it into the fire.“Yeah, do you think they'll manage without you?” She jested and bit off a large chunk of the dry piece of bread.  
  
Astrid scoffed at that. “Oh please, if they were to decide, I would stay inside until I either rot or go insane. Nazir loves paperwork, I can't stand it.” She grabbed the leather satchel filled with water and swallowed a generous amount before giving it to Dawn. “I used to head out with my husband whenever he got a contract, but that was a long time ago. Before I became leader and had to keep an eye on you scoundrels.”  
  
Dawn stared at the satchel in her hand. Whenever she brought up Arnbjorn, it felt like someone put a dagger right between her ribs. She took a sip but the water left her mouth dry. “He loves you very much.” She removed her glove and pulled up her sleeve. “He showed me just how much.”  
  
Astrid was by her side in seconds. She took Dawn's hand in her own and caressed the bruised skin with her fingertips. “Why would he do this?” She exhaled.  
  
Dawn retracted her hand and pulled down her sleeve. Her affection for Astrid would come out eventually - Nazir knew, and so did Arnbjord. If Astrid herself was oblivious to that, she had the ability to block out more than Dawn had thought. “I-I'm not sure...” She stuttered but fell silent when a warm hand cupped her chin.  
  
“If he ever touches you like that again, he will be sorry.” Her voice was dangerously low as the words rolled out of her mouth. Blue eyes locked with green, Astrid stroked blue hair away from Dawn's face and rested her hand on the back of her head. The younger woman could see the conflict going on inside of her mind.  
  
“We should get some sleep.” Dawn said and reluctantly pulled away.  
  
“That would probably be wise.” The blonde replied, stood up and walked over to one of the bedrolls and started to undress. Dawn instantly looked the other way.  
  
“Don't go all shy on me, Deathbell.” She could hear Astrid smirk as she said it.  
  
Dawn started to undo her boots. “I'm not _shy._ Just trying to give you a little privacy.” She said matter-of-factly.  
  
“I never took you for a gentlewoman.” She purred and Dawn could hear her get into the bedroll. “Must confess I enjoy your cheeky side a little bit more.”  
  
The girl laughed softly and stripped down to her undergarments. She felt Astrid's eyes on her, or maybe, it was just wishful thinking. The bedroll was colder than she had expected. She shuddered and moved her legs around to induce some heat.  
  
“You know,” Astrid said silkily. “If you're cold you could just slip into mine, there's plenty of room.”  
  
Dawn ceased to breathe for a brief moment. Astrid was probably teasing her, but it was a very tempting offer. “No,” she replied in a pitiful tone. “I'll be fine.”  
  
“Well, suit yourself," she whispered in a soft voice, "goodnight then, sweetroll.”

* * *

  
They woke up at first light. The morning dew didn't make it easy to leave the warmth of the bedroll, Dawn groaned in displeasure when she stood up and the cold air embraced her body. Putting on the leather armour wasn't a bliss either. It had been lying on the grass all night, absorbing all the cold elements Mother Nature had to offer.

  
“Why don't you put the armour inside the bedroll next time, hmm?” Astrid mocked, a malefic grin playing on her face. “Makes the mornings slightly more comfortable.”  
  
“Oh, brilliant. Thanks.” Dawn answered dryly, she was not in the mood for sarcasm.  
  
“There she is,” she said, her voice as raspy as only her voice could be, “the little fox I admire - here.” She handed her a cup filled with a steaming, black liquid.  
  
“What's this?” Dawn smelled the substance, the scent was bitter and she wrinkled her nose.  
  
“It's a special brew I always make when I'm out and about. It doesn't taste as bad as it smells,” she took a sip and hummed in satisfaction, “it's a stimulant of sorts. Go on, try it.”  
  
Dawn looked stolidly at the liquid before bringing the cup to her lips. Her throat welcomed the warm drink, she instantly felt a little less displeased with her surroundings. “This is...amazing!” She emptied the rest in one draught, “can I have another?”  
  
Astrid chortled and took the cup from Dawn's grasp. “Slow down, dearest, we have to leave and I do _not_ want to stop every five minutes for you to empty your bladder.” She winked at the younger woman and packed the last things before restraining it on Shadowmere's saddle bag.  
  
It took them half a day to get to Rorikstead, where they treated themselves with a nice meal instead of their dreadful food packs. They left before anyone even noticed they were there. Astrid knew a place where they could stay for the night with ' _minimal chance of getting killed by the Forsworn',_ her words. Dawn wasn't convinced, she still had nightmares about the Hagravens. It was rather funny - she'd had no problem slaying dragons ten times her size, or exploring the gloomy depths of the Dunmer ruins; but when it came to deformed creatures like those horrendous half bird half women, she almost wanted to sleep with a lit candle by her bedside.  
  
They came to a half open space by a mountainside three hours north from the little village. Dawn proceeded to set up camp as Astrid sat down on a nearby log and sharpened her blade. When the fire was burning, Dawn suggested that she could go out and find them some fresh fish from the river nearby. She promised Astrid she wouldn't venture too far from the camp.  
  
“Don't do anything too adventurous.” Astrid said and held out the bow.  
  
“I'm going fishing, not wrestling with a cave bear.” She put the quiver over her shoulder. “I'll be alright. Besides, we still have a couple of hours of sun left.”  
  
“I know, dear, I know.” Astrid looked at Dawn with a glimmer of worry in her green eyes. “I just...”

Dawn stepped closer until the only thing between them was the bow in Astrid's hand. “I'll be back soon, you just worry about keeping that fire going.”  
  
Astrid sighed. “Just go, before I change my mind.”  
  
She gave Astrid a quick nod and a smile before taking off towards the riverside. Fifteen minutes later she had already caught three salmons and was about to head back when someone grabbed her shoulder and a hand covered her mouth. She whimpered and tried to fight back before the person behind her spoke.  
  
“It's me, don't scream,” Astrid breathed into her ear. She let her go and Dawn felt her pulse rise to a maximum.  
  
“What's going on?” She had never seen Astrid look as distressed as she did in that moment.  
  
“Forsworn, they...they found our spot, I barely got away undetected.” She managed to say between wheezed breaths.  
  
Dawn looked around, panic rising with every passing moment. “Where's Shadowmere?”  
  
“He's fine.” Said Astrid, still catching her breath. “I let him go, he's on his way home in full speed.”  
  
Dawn couldn't believe it. She almost wanted to scold Astrid for not deciding they should stay in Rorikstead, but there was no point in doing that. Instead, she equipped her gear and got to her feet. “And the camp, did they leave anything?”  
  
Astrid shook her head. “They took it all, I managed to seek shelter behind a rock as I saw them scavenge everything.”

Dawn tried to wrap her head around the whole situation. “So, we have no food, no horse and nothing to keep us warm at night.” She stated.  
  
“I'm afraid so,” she said as her eyes softened, “we'll have to figure something out. It's at least one day's journey to Solitude. We could find another way and...”  
  
“No.” Dawn interrupted. “We'll find them, tonight. They can't be holding up far from here.”  
  
Astrid's eyes widened. “As much as I admire your courage, that is the craziest idea I've heard in a very long time.”  
  
She felt adrenaline take a hold of her. “We could do it.” She said eagerly.  
  
Astrid seemed to consider their options. She had a deep frown on her face and Dawn waited, patiently, for her decision.  
  
“They'll probably be at Dragon Bridge Overlook,” she said as she stood up straight. “It's about half an hour walk from here. We'll have a look but if _I_ decide we should leave, we leave. Do you understand?” Her voice was grave.  
  
Dawn nodded respectfully. “Yes, I understand.”  
  
“Good.” She glanced over Dawn's head and hurried off past her. “Follow me, and stay sharp.”  
  
Dawn felt her lips curl into a grin. “After you.”

 

* * *

  
Sneaking in the woods was definitely not as easy as she had thought. Twigs hidden under heavy moss snapped under her feet more than a few times. She and Astrid had split up outside the overlook to scout around. Dawn had counted at least five people at the camp, there might have been more hidden from her sight. She reached for her bow and tried to find a safe spot to shoot from. Luckily for her, she found a thicket that offered a pretty decent cover. She could probably take down two or three targets from where she was standing, she crouched a little lower and aimed at the chest of one of the men standing guard. Just as Astrid had taught her she held her breath, focused on her target, and let go. The man instantly fell to the ground with an ear piercing scream and the rest of the Forsworn quickly gather around him. Astrid was nowhere to be seen, Dawn hoped she hadn't gotten into any trouble. Quickly reaching for another arrow, then one more, she managed to shoot down two more. She couldn't see any movement at the base and decided to move in. The second she got out from the bushes an arrow hit her in the shoulder, she fell to her knees in shock. The pain was excruciating and the world around her started spinning. Another arrow swished past her head and she rolled away in panic. But the ground under her disappeared and she fell headlong down a steep cliff - then, everything went black.  
  
Her eyes fluttered open as she felt her body being dragged backwards over uneven terrain. For a split second she'd forgotten what had happened, until the stinging pain in her shoulder jogged her memory. It felt like all her other senses had vanished, she couldn't hear or see anything. The person dragging her stopped and sat down beside her whilst keeping her upper body upright. She tried to focus on the figure but everything was too blurry to make out any details. She heard a muffled voice as the blockage in her ears finally disappeared. _Why am I all wet?_ Was the first thought that came to mind when she regained sensation in the rest of her body.  
  
“Dawn! Please wake up!” Astrid's distraught voice echoed in her head. She felt a hand slap her gently on the cheek. “Come on, don't do this to me!”  
  
Dawn groaned in response. Her vision became slightly better and she could see Astrid's worried eyes look down at her. “You're going to be okay, just breathe.”  
  
“I...” She managed to say before a jolt of pain went through her entire body.  
  
Astrid hushed her. “Don't try to talk, just listen,” she adjusted herself carefully and pulled Dawn a little more upright, “I will heal you, but I have to push the arrow through your shoulder to get it out, okay?”  
  
Dawn’s breath quickened as she felt tears sting in her eyes, but she nodded at the woman. Without warning Astrid grabbed the shaft and pushed down hard. An earth shattering howl came from the younger woman, she could feel the flesh rip apart as the sharp dart went through her shoulder. She heard Astrid break the piece that now stuck out her back. Dawn's left hand clutched Astrid's shoulder as the arrow was pulled out of her body. She tried so hard to concentrate on her breathing, afraid she might pass out again. Astrid pulled out a small bottle from the satchel in her belt.  
  
“It's almost over, Deathbell. I promise,” she ripped out the cork with her teeth and held the bottle to Dawn's lips, “drink.” She ordered and poured the liquid into Dawn's mouth. It tasted like rotten fruit, she really had to force it down and try not to hurl. Her body started to feel warm. The pain in her shoulder slowly disappeared and her breathing slowed down. Astrid helped her sit up straight. She looked around and saw the cliff she had fallen from. At the far end, where they were now sitting, there was a slow river floating; which explained why she was soaked in water.  
  
“I thought I was going to die.” She breathed and glared vacantly out over the landscape, as if she was seeing it for the first time.  
  
Astrid moved over to her side. “So did I.” She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against Dawn's. “I saw him shoot you, and then you fell. I couldn't think straight. My legs started moving forward until my blade cut through his body. I have never stabbed someone that many times in my life.” She breathed.  
  
“I owe you my life.” Dawn whispered and closed her eyes.  
  
“You don't owe me anything, Deathbell. Just promise me, never do that to me again.”  
  
Dawn nodded tiredly, her hand reached around the nape of the older woman's neck. “I will try.”  
  
They sat in silence for a moment, listening to the sound of the river. Astrid ran a hand through Dawn's hair and continued down to her cheek. She stopped by her lower lip and brushed gently over the soft skin. “You're trembling.” She murmured.  
  
Dawn herself hadn't noticed, she was too engulfed by Astrid's close proximity. “Yeah,” she breathed. “I-I suppose I'm a little cold.”  
  
“Is that all?” She whispered raspily, her lips ghosting over Dawn's.  
  
“No.” Dawn's body fluttered positively and second's after Astrid closed the space between them. Her lips captured Dawn's who almost fell back in surprise, she had to support her weight on her arms. The kiss was over before she could react to what was happening, Astrid leaned back and looked at her through heavily lidded eyes; her hand came to rest on Dawn's flushed cheek.

“What was that for?” The younger woman breathed.  
  
“Let's just say...it was for not dying on me.” She smiled softly, but there was something in her eyes that Dawn hadn't seen before. “My special way of showing gratitude,” she stood up and reached out a hand to help Dawn back on her feet, “I'll go and get the gear, you stay here until I come back. I'll be quick, I promise.”  
  
Dawn nodded as she stood up on slightly wobbly legs. Astrid begun to walk along the river and then disappeared around the cliff side. _Her special way of showing gratitude,_ she mused. Whatever her reasons were, Dawn couldn't wipe away the grin on her face - and the fact that she had almost died was gone from her memory. After a few minutes Astrid came back with a very light packing. Dawn stumbled over and took one of the leather bags from the blonde's shoulder.

“Is this what's left?” She asked in a perplexed tone. “Where's the rest?”  
  
The blonde sighed. “Tightly secured on Shadowmere halfway home by now,” she handed Dawn a water satchel whilst she filled the other with some fresh water from the river, “we might have to take a little detour on our way back, maybe cause a little ruckus in the Solitude market place.” She winked at Dawn who immediately felt her cheeks burn. “Now, I suppose we don't want to stay the night where you nearly died, I suggest we find someplace else to get some rest.”  
  
“Yeah, that sounds good.” She agreed and they started walking.

They crossed Dragon Bridge without further complications. Dawn still felt a bit tense, considering a few moments earlier she had an arrow stuck inside her body. Astrid pulled her away from the road once they had past the nearby houses. She climbed up a small cliff and the bluenette followed without questioning. They reached a ledge where they had a clear view over the road, but that would leave them hidden from people passing by. Dawn went to gather some wood since the sun had begun to set and it had already started to become colder.

“No fire tonight, Deathbell.” Astrid said in a low voice. “It's too risky out here.”  
  
Dawn's brow furrowed. “Okay, so we'll just freeze to death instead.”  
  
“Well,” Astrid purred as she rolled out one bedroll over the ground. “Now might be the time for you to consider my offer.”  
  
“What offer..?”

Green eyes sparkled in the fading sunlight. “To slip into my bedroll.”  
  
Dawn chuckled at the woman's straightforwardness. “You do realize how that sounds, don't you?”  
  
Astrid's lips curled into a mischievous smirk. “I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, Deathbell.”  
  
“I'm sure you don't.” She started to undo the belt around her waist. “But sure, I'll _slip_ into your bedroll tonight.” Her armour landed on the ground with a thump.  
  
“Didn't you learn anything last time you left your entire wardrobe out in the cold?”  
  
Dawn sighed. “I don't want them in there. They're still a bit...wet.”  
  
Astrid quirked an eyebrow as she removed the leather covering her torso. Dawn struggled not to let her eyes wander over the older woman's half naked chest. “What?” The younger woman burst out as Astrid's continued to smile wickedly.  
  
“Nothing, I just like the way you say that,” she went under the cover and leaned to the side, her head resting on her knuckles, “ _wet.”_ The words sounded like honey coming out of the blondes plump lips. _  
  
_ Dawn raised her eyebrows. If Astrid was planning on driving her insane with her teasing, she might as well have left her to die. “Could we keep the flirtation to a minimum, please?” She begged.

“Alright, dearest.” She opened the bedroll for Dawn to crawl inside. “Now, come here before you get a frostbite.”  
  
Astrid's body was warm against hers as she pressed her front to Dawn's backside. Goosebumps soon covered her entire body as Astrid's fingers traveled over the curve of her waist to her hip. Dawn tried to focus on her breathing when she felt lips press against her shoulder.  
  
“You know,” Astrid crooned into her ear. “If I had lost you today, I don't know what I'd done. I haven't been that scared in a very long time.”  
  
Dawn closed her eyes and took in the other woman's words. “But I didn't, thanks to you.”  
  
“I know why Arnbjorn feels threatened by you.” Came a low whisper, Dawn's heart skipped a beat.  
  
Dawn shifted a bit. "Really? Because I don't.” She said quietly.  
  
“Oh, I think you do.” Dawn felt full lips brush against her shoulder. “You see, I have never been jealous or possessive, but ever since we met in Riften and I saw you with that woman...”  
  
“You mean Vex?”  
  
“Yes, Vex.” Her name slipped out of Astrid's mouth as if it had a bad taste. “I just wanted to rip her pretty little blonde hair out of her scalp.”  
  
“That's very mature of you,” Dawn scoffed. She felt her stomach tingle as she started to see what Astrid was trying to tell her. “I don't think she is the problem, though.” She said carefully.  
  
“No, she certainly isn't,” Astrid sighed, “In another life this, you and me...I don't even know how to say this,” she continued and Dawn's happy feeling dropped in an instant. “I'm too scared that he would hurt you if I...”  
  
“Please, stop.” Dawn interjected as she felt tears sting in her eyes. Recognizing the feeling of heartbreak. “I understand. Just, stop talking.”  
  
The blonde fell silent and began to stroke Dawn on her arm, but she shrugged her off. She clenched her jaw so hard she thought it would break, but the last thing she'd wanted was for Astrid to see her doleful face. The silence was unbearable but after a while she finally found some kind of serenity as her tired body ached for her to close her eyes, and the last thing she heard before she drifted off to sleep was a soft _“I'm sorry”._

 


	6. The Emperor

The journey to Solitude had been quite silent since their previous chat, save for some smalltalk that would make even the baddest bandit cringe a little. The plan was to circle around the city walls at nightfall and meet with a man who, according to Astrid, was reliable. He would provide them with a vessel to sail over to the The Katariah. Astrid had given her a very clear description on how they would proceed once they got on the ship. She would be with her through it all, except for the assassination - that was Dawn's time to shine. As soon as the sun began to give up they took off from the woods just by a farm nearby the hold. The closer they came to the rendezvous, the harder Dawn's heart hammered inside her chest.  
  
“You've got everything you need?” Astrid asked calmly.

“Yes,” she answered, her voice was shaking a bit. “The lockpicks and the cowl, It's all there.” She patted the leather bag she was carrying.  
  
“Good.” She put her hand on Dawn's shoulder and searched her eyes. “I have faith in you, Deathbell. You can do this.”  
  
Dawn gave her a quick smile. “Yeah, I think you're the only one who does.”

“It'll be fine, in a few days we'll be back home, celebrating in your honour,” she stroked her thumb over Dawn's cheek, and she let her. “Oh, before I forget. I wanted to give you these,” she took out a small flask from her belt and the blade she always carried, “one drop of this and our beloved Emperor will end up a very unattractive corpse. And this,” she handed Dawn the blade, “this is the Blade of Woe. You can borrow it, if you'd like.”  
  
“But I already have a weapon.” She said, confused.  
  
“I know you do, but I promise you that one swift stroke over his throat with this, and he will bleed like a stuck pig.” She smiled in delight.

Dawn weighed the blade in her hand. It was lighter than her mace and very beautifully crafted. She hitched it to her belt and gave Astrid her mace.

“That's my girl.” She beamed at her fondly.

“How can you be so sure this will work? What if I screw up..?”  
  
“Hey, stop that.” Astrid took a step forward and caressed the girl's chin as her eyes searched her face. “You will be excellent,” she stroked a strand of hair from Dawn's face, like she always did, “and I won't leave your side.”

Dawn closed her eyes. She was more scared than she dared to admit. “Alright, let's do this.” She said in the most self-confident voice she could muster, despite the nervous prickle under her skin.  
  
“Right,” Astrid said and retracted her hand, “my contact should be around here somewhere, stay close.”  
  
Dawn nodded and they continued on the rocky seaside under the bridge of Solitude. Mist had started to gather around them but soon they could distinguish a blurry figure standing about thirty feet away. Astrid put her hand out to signal Dawn to keep her guard up. She closed her hand around the hilt of the blade as they got closer. She started to hear a humming sound coming from the figure and the hairs at the back of her neck stood up. “Astrid, are you sure about..”  
  
The woman hushed her, then, she stood up straight and approached the person. Dawn finally managed to make out the details. It was a man, a seemingly large fellow with a bald head and dirty clothes - that seemed to have been pretty decent once. He had a tattoo on his neck, revealing that he had been imprisoned for some time. By his feet there was a small boat moored, it rocked along with the waves. The small lantern secured to its stem cast a gloomy light over the scene. As he saw the pair his humming escalated into loud singing and he stumbled a bit on the spot.  
  
Astrid sighed heavily. “By Sithis, are you drunk?”  
  
He started laughing and swung his arms out in the air, he held an almost empty bottle of ale in his right hand. “I had to occupy myself somehow, didn't I?” He answered as his eyes fluttered, the stench of alcohol reached Dawn and she wrinkled her nose.  
  
Astrid grabbed the bottle from his grasp and threw it down on the ground, it shattered into a million pieces against the hard rocks. “We're trying to do a job here, you idiot!” She hissed into his face. “You better pray no one saw you, or you'll be sorry.”

“Calm down, woman.” Croaked the man. “I've been as careful as a fox.” A loud burp erupted from his throat and Astrid made a disgusted face as she undid the bend by his feet, she then reached into her pouch and handed him a few gold coins.  
  
“For your... _troubles._ ” She drawled.

The man looked at the shiny pieces in his hand. “This isn't even half of what we agreed on?” He bellowed at them angrily.  
  
Astrid, who had already embarked the wooden vessel, quickly followed by Dawn, met his eyes and replied stolidly: “Then maybe you should think about how you perform your undertakings next time.” A swift motion with the oars took them a couple of meters out on the water. Dawn watched the man spit on the ground and slur some half hearted threats as well as petty insults before he kicked the ground hard and turned to leave.  
  
“Well, he was quite the charmer.” She grinned sarcastically and put her hands in her lap.  
  
Astrid scoffed and made larger movements with the oars, as if she wanted to put more distance between them and the drunkard. “The day someone puts a contract in his name I'll perform it, gladly.”  
  
Dawn snickered at that as she blew out the candle in the lantern. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dark. “I thought you found him resourceful?”  
  
“Resourceful enough to give us a boat to take us halfway to The Katariah,” her eyes had fallen to a spot near Dawn's feet, “she's taking in water.”  
  
Dawn looked down and saw the water pouring in from underneath. The hole was at least five inches wide. “Oh, this is bad.” She blurted out and heard Astrid chuckle. She took out her cowl and stuffed it into the gap, it wouldn't stop the water flooding in but it would give them some extra time.  
  
“We might have to swim the rest of the way, Deathbell.” Astrid sighed but Dawn did not feel like a late night swim in the cold sea.

“Like hell we are.” She stood up and grabbed the lantern hanging by its post and ripped off the top. She used the container to scoop up water and pour it back into the sea. Astrid seemed to get the hint and started rowing faster. The boat moved sluggishly through the water and Dawn could hear Astrid huff heavily as she worked the oars with all her strength. As they finally got to the stern of the large ship Dawn could grab the tether that held the anchor and pulled the now half filled boat in place. They climbed the ice cold, thick chain and only then she realized how her arms felt like a flabby mess that didn't really respond to what she wanted them to do.  
  
“Just a little further, Deathbell, hold on tight.” Astrid wheezed from somewhere below her.

When she grabbed the solid wood of the rail in her hands, a feeling of triumph filled her tired body. She dragged herself up and landed as light footed as she could on the other side. She reached out her hand for Astrid to grab. Dawn pulled her up with all her remaining strength. Astrid sat straddled over the rail, Dawn's hand still in a firm grip. Their faces were close and Dawn could feel Astrid's hot breath close to her mouth.  
  
“You alright?” The blonde's voice was hoarse and strained.

“Yeah,” she answered with a short nod as her muscles began to relax into near numbness, “now what?”  
  
Astrid swung her leg over and landed on the deck stealthily. “There should be a door leading to the lower decks, as soon as we find that, we'll be able to navigate through the ship to the Emperor's quarters.” She put a hand on Dawn's shoulder. “We have to be very, very quiet, alright? This place will be a fortress with guards at every corner.”  
  
“Right, I understand.” Her answer was quiet as her gaze met green eyes. “There's a door behind you. You think that's it?”  
  
Astrid spun around and Dawn didn't need to see her face to know she had a smirk playing on her lips. “Good girl.”  
  
Dawn felt her cheeks turn crimson and her stomach tighten, Astrid crouched down and she did the same. The blonde pulled out two lockpicks from her bag and put them inside the keyhole of the robust wooden door. A few minutes passed, then, they both heard the wonderful click as the door unlocket. Astrid turned her face and gave her a quick wink, which made Dawn's lips curl into a girlish grin. _Get it together. You're an assassin, not a teenage girl with a stupid crush,_ she thought and almost believed it. She took a deep breath and shook her head lightly. Luckily, Astrid seemed completely oblivious to her inner struggle as she was turning the handle ever so lightly until the door opened silently. The two women slipped inside, Dawn welcomed the warmth surrounding them as the door clicked shut behind her. They crouched behind some wooden crates as Astrid scanned the area. Without looking at Dawn she held up two fingers in the air and beckoned her over. The wooden floorboards underneath them made little noise but it seemed to blend in with the rest of the ship's natural groaning. They managed to get around three corners until their first encounter, Astrid had stopped so suddenly that Dawn almost bumped into her backside. There were three men standing right in front of their next checkpoint, laughing loudly; unaware of the ongoing infiltration. Both women knew they couldn't take out all of them in one go without alarming anyone nearby, so they patiently sat there until two of them went through the opening and disappeared around the corner. Astrid mutely ordered Dawn to stay back as she approached the guard from behind and put her arm around his neck with all her strength.

Dawn watched in awe as the woman single-handedly choked him until his face had turned purple and swollen, and his eyes went blank as death took hold of him. In a bizarre way she felt utterly exhilarated by seeing Astrid take someone's life, the determination in her eyes had almost been lustful. She put him down, careful not to make any sounds and gave Dawn a small wave to follow her lead and loot him. The younger woman sneaked toward her and stepped over the now lifeless body. Her hand reached inside his pockets until she found a key that she stuffed into her small bag. She cast a final glance at the man with a small flare of guilt in her gut, but the feeling quickly subsided and was replaced by dread as she saw another man rounding the corner of the room they were just about to enter. He was enormous and had to bow his entire torso quite low to get through the opening. Astrid didn't seem to have noticed him as she had just looked over at Dawn but the younger woman was quick to grab her by the arm and pull her back to where the strangled man's body laid spread out on the floor, just out of sight from where the man stood. Dawn's heart almost jumped out of her chest and she tried desperately to keep her breathing as silent as possible. The older woman pushed her backwards and into a dark corner where she pressed her body against Dawn's as a human shield. They could hear the man yell something about the guards taking a break in the mess room. Since he didn't get an answer both women knew they had to act quickly, Dawn pulled out the blade and went past Astrid who wasn't quick enough to stop her. The second she reached the opening the guard was just about to peek through and was greeted with a knife to the throat. It felt like cutting through butter with a hot knife. The man didn't have a chance to react until blood was gushing out of his open wound as he fell to the ground. The kill wasn't as clean as Astrid's, but she'd had no other choice. The sudden crack of the floor probably attracted anyone on that deck and both women understood that they had little time left before someone saw them.  
  
“This way, move!” Astrid whispered as she stormed past her and into the room where the man had come from. As they left the area and ran down the hall they could hear the guards shouting that the ship had been infiltrated. Dawn felt panic rise as she seemed to hear people running everywhere.  
  
“Astrid, Over here!” She hissed and pulled the blonde's arm towards the stairs. When they'd reached the platform the shouting guards seemed to have run in a completely different direction, it became quiet - almost too quiet. All that could be heard was the heavy breathing of the two women who stood pressed against the wooden wall where the staircase ended. They looked at each other and started to snicker quietly. Dawn slid down the wall to sit on the floor and tried to catch her breath. Astrid squatted down beside her.  
  
“Ecstatic, isn't it?” Her silky voice purred near the shell of Dawn's ear. She replied with a nod and closed her eyes as she pushed her head backwards against the wall. Astrid cupped her cheek with one hand and turned the younger woman's face until her gaze captured hers. “I adore seeing you work with my blade. Your skill is delicate and your hands are swift.” A finger stroked her arrow finger from tip to knuckle. “Just thinking about what they're capable of is very... refreshing.” The words she'd spoked almost made Dawn believe she'd imagined it. As if everything that was happening inside her body at that moment unlocked some strange, hallucinogenic effect in her brain. But her vision was clear and judging by the way those green eyes were fixed upon her own, she just knew Astrid had given in to the impulse of torturing her with her inviting comments.

Dawn admitted to herself she'd grown weary of the older woman always having the upper hand in these situations and decided it was time to take control. She took hold of Astrid's wrists and pushed backwards until her back was against the wall, her legs spread out in front of her. Dawn watched in delight as the older woman's eyes widened when she straddled her right thigh. This time it was Dawn's turn to put her lips against the older woman's ear.

“As much as I'd like to show you right here, right now, what my hands are capable of,” she let her hand ghost over Astrid's leather covered side from her breast down to her hips and was rewarded with a deep, humming sigh. She continued: “But I've got a date with a very special man who, unfortunately, will know exactly what my hands can do before you ever will.” Dawn could feel the heaving breaths of the blonde underneath her and it made her body burn with desire. She struggled with every fiber of her being not to crash down on the plump lips. Instead, she stood up and looked at the breathless woman on the floor, and she could see just how hard Astrid was struggling too. After their little heart to heart in the forest the game they were playing just felt even more dangerous and Dawn was both intoxicated and terrified of how close to the edge she was standing. She reached out her hand and helped Astrid back on her feet. They stood close and a genuine smile spread across the blonde's lips.  
  
“One day, Deathbell,” she shook her head and pressed Dawn's fingers against her soft lips, “you will be the death of me.”  
  
Dawn chuckled and enjoyed the tingle left where Astrid's mouth had touched her skin. A sudden crack in the wood made both of them jump a little and they looked to the staircase with their hands on their weapons.

“I think we've stayed in one place long enough,” Astrid said in a serious tone, “let's go.”  
  
They ventured further into the core of the ship's upper deck until Dawn was so disorientated she didn't know if they were in the stern or the aft of the large vessel anymore. Finally, they stopped in front of a large doorway with magnificent carvings in pure gold around the edges. The women exchanged knowing looks and Dawn understood that this was it. Behind that very door she would, if everything went according to plan, assassinate the Emperor of Tamriel. Astrid turned to the now very tense young woman with an assuring look on her face.  
  
“Hey,” she said and lifted Dawn's chin with her finger, “you will be outstanding. There should be a door on the port side taking you to the Emperor's private balcony. When you're done, I'll be waiting for you there.”  
  
Dawn reached inside her pouch and took the iron key in her hands, it felt heavier than before. Carefully, she slid it into the keyhole - it fit perfectly. Astrid handed her a cowl since she'd lost her own along with the flooded boat. She took it in her trembling hands and put it over her head until everything was covered except her eyes and the area around it. Her fingers closed around the key and she turned it slowly until it clicked.  
  
“Lock the door behind you.” Astrid whispered before disappearing into the shadows.

Dawn had never felt so alone in her life as she slipped inside the dark chamber with the key in her hand. A soon as the door closed silently behind her she locked it and put the key back in her bag. At first it appeared empty, but then she could discern the silhouette of an old man standing by one of the windows with his back towards her. The only light in the room was the moonlight breaking through the windows and a candle shrine on her right. Sinister shadows danced all around the chamber. The elderly man didn't move a muscle, but he undoubtably knew she was there. Her hand rested upon the blade whilst the other played with the little flask in her belt. On the other side of the large chamber she saw the door Astrid had told her about. She took out two lockpicks and slid them inside the lock before bending the shafts so no one would be able to open the main door without force. Her feet moved silently over the floorboards, but stopped when the man suddenly spoke.  
  
“I have been wondering when the Dark Brotherhood would come knocking.” He said calmly, still facing the window. “But I never thought I would have the pleasure to meet the Dragonborn herself.” As he finished the sentence he turned slowly and the light coming from the candles shimmered on his pale, worn face.

Dawn let her eyes wander every visible corner of the chamber before she took a few steps forward. “You know who I am?”

He nodded slowly with a soft smile on his face. His peaceful posture made the knot in her stomach tighten. “I have the privilege of knowing many things. Please, have a seat.” He gestured for her to sit down on the chair in front of the desk he stood by.

“I'm not here to mingle.” She drawled and was surprised that his response was a delighted chuckle.

“Of course, my apologies. I assume you have a tight schedule, but don't worry, the guards will not be here for at least ten minutes. They're more interested in checking if someone stole the gold down in the cargo hold - not the brightest group of mercenaries.” He sat down on the chair on his side of the table. Two cups were filled with an inky liquid she could only assume was red wine, he slid one of them to her end of the table. “I must say I find your story most intriguing.” He took a long sip of his drink and smacked his lips with the aftertaste.

Dawn arched an eyebrow, wondering why people always thought they knew so much about her. “Why?”  
  
“Well for starters, you grew up an orphan with your brother who you later lost as well, very tragic, I must say,” he took another sip, “you rise to become one of the youngest legends Skyrim has seen. Suddenly, the hero disappears for months and the motherland mourns her possible demise. And yet, here she stands, dressed in black and red about to change history once again.”  
  
He was taunting her and she gripped her weapon tighter in her hand. “That's a very well rehearsed speech, Titus.”

“Indeed, I've been keeping my eye on you. But I must say you cover your tracks well. But joining the Dark Brotherhood, that's quite a bald move if you ask me.” He raised his cup toward her.

“I didn't ask you, they're my family.” She answered bluntly, getting bored by his ongoing analysis.

“Fair enough.” The Emperor chuckled softly. “I suppose we underestimated you people, your matriarch, what do you call her - ah yes, the Night Mother - even after she disappeared and only a few members remained they managed to assign her title to a power hungry leader watching everything slowly go down the drain.”  
  
Dawn leaped forward and jumped up on the table. Her face was inches from the older man's and the blade was on his throat. At first his eyes were wide in surprise, but then he relaxed.

“Why is it you people always cover your faces but never your eyes? Is it because you like your victims to see what you feel as they die, Because you, my dear girl, look utterly panic-stricken.”  
  
Dawn was instantly aware of her heaving chest. Her blood was boiling and her head was spinning. The blade on his neck was removed and with a swift movement she jammed in into the wood next to his hand.

“I think I'll have that drink now.” She said in a low voice.

“Splendid.” He answered in an equal manner.

She slid back and sat down on the chair. With one hand she removed her cowl and was pleased that she could breathe normal air again.  
  
“So,” he started and refilled his cup before taking three large gulps. “I don't know how you are planning on doing this, but I do have one favour to ask, if I may?”  
  
Dawn nodded slowly, feeling curious and slightly uncomfortable.

“The person who ordered my assassination must die.”

“I don't know who that is.” Dawn cut in but fell silent as the Emperor raised his hand.

“Someone in your  _family_ clearly does. And if you do this, you will have my eternal gratitude, even in death.” He coughed softly and his voice had become somewhat croaky.

She considered him for moment.

“I'll think about it.”

“Ah, an answer that truly emphasizes your mystic lineage,” he declared and wiped his sweaty forehead, “well, at least I have until that cup is empty to convince you.” He said and waved his hand at her drink.  
  
Her lips curled into a wicked grin. “No, because you're already dying,” she said and put the empty flask on the table, “a few moments ago I poured this into your drink - but I guess you were too busy focusing on the panic in my eyes to even notice.” She stood up and began to circle around the table. “I'm not really sure what this particular poison does, but I'm very eager to find out.”

He had started to cough more violently and Dawn could see blood coming out of his ear. She bent down on his right side, he turned his face to meet her eyes. Titus's veins were popping out violently under his skin and his eyes were completely bloodshot. For a moment she considered ending his suffering with a knife to the throat, but she was too mesmerized by the scene before her. He looked at her pleadingly, but even he knew there was nothing she could do.

“Your ruling days are over Titus, the void is waiting for you.” She whispered and felt the familiar rush of deciding someone's fate.

He groaned in an inhuman way as blood filled his lungs and mouth. One last cough that sent a splatter of blood over the desk before his body gave in and his head fell to his chest. Dawn took a few moments to admire her work, she had successfully murdered the Emperor of Tamriel. A sudden bang on the main door made her jump and she instantly knew that was her cue. She leaped over to the the door leading to the balcony and pulled out two lockpicks. Her hands were shaking, which made a very simple task almost impossible. “Come on,” she hissed when one of the lockpicks snapped. The turmoil going on behind her was not helping. In her stressful state she had a moment of clarity when she remembered she had a key. Fumbling inside the bag as loud bangs filled her ears she finally felt the key under her fingertips. When the lock clicked the main door gave in behind her and a large group of guards barged in. Dawn gave a quick look over her shoulder before heading out into the cold night. A hand closed around her wrist and she mentally prepared to fight.

“Dawn! It's me.” Astrid breathed before dragging her away from the door.

“I don't think they saw me.” She said in a shaky voice as loud shouting could be heard from Titus's chamber.

“It doesn't matter, we have to jump.” She urged in an almost frantic voice.

“Are you insane? It's at least fifteen meters...” Dawn uttered unnervingly as she glanced over the edge.

“Yes! Come on!” The blonde ordered and pushed Dawn toward the railing.

She climbed up and stood on the edge of the massive ship. A moment of hesitation was pushed aside when she felt Astrid's warm hand around hers. Their eyes met and Dawn had a sudden feeling that everything would be alright. She closed her eyes and felt the solid railing disappear under her feet.

 


	7. The shack

Sharp rocks dug into Dawn's knees and hands as she crawled up on dry land. She coughed harshly to get rid of the water in her lungs, her entire body ached when warm blood went through her dangerously cold body parts. She groaned in pain and couldn't think about anything else than getting somewhere warm. Stumbling footsteps over the loose rocks revived her brain and she rolled onto her back.

“Astrid! I'm here!” She wailed meagerly and saw the woman crouch down next to her. “Hi,” Dawn smiled groggily at her traveling companion, “we did it.”  
  
“ _You_ did it,” She slid her arm under Dawn's body and dragged her up to her feet, “come on, my little champion. We need to get away from here.”  
  
Astrid supported Dawn on her shoulders as they stumbled over the shore. The sun had begun to rise and for the first time in a long while, she could see the beauty of her motherland.

“Where are we going?” She said tiredly. Her body protested with every step she took.

“I'm glad you asked,” Astrid replied in a smooth voice. “we're going to a place that is very special to me, and you.”  
  
“How is it that we've been through hell together and you still can't answer a simple question?” Dawn teased and managed to catch a glimpse of a smirk playing on the older woman's lips.

“I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise,” she chuckled and Dawn understood she just had to wait and see, “can you walk?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Astrid slowly let go of her and grabbed her arm when she stumbled on wobbly legs.

“Sorry, still a bit woozy.” She said and felt her cheeks turn into a deeper shade of pink.

The blonde laughed at her clumsiness. “A sudden swing of hypothermia does that to you, just take it slow.”

“I don't think we have time to take it slow.” She mumbled before loosing her footing and fell right into the blonde's arms.

“Oh, Deathbell.” She hummed. “I'm beginning to think you're doing this on purpose.”

Dawn stood up with one hand on Astrid's shoulder to prevent her from falling again. “You really think I'd do something as flimsy as pretending to fall, please.” She razzed.

“A girl can only dream.” Astrid purred and helped her stand straight once again. “It's a good thing we washed up on this side, even if your current state will slow us down.” She said and looked at their surroundings.

“You could just leave me behind, it would save you a lot sweat.” Dawn replied, feeling a little offended.

“I suppose I could, but then you'll miss out on all the fun, we wouldn't want that now, would we?” There was a ghost of a smile on the older woman's lips when Dawn looked up at her.

“No, we wouldn't.” She stated timidly and took Astrid's elbow.

The sun raised taller up in the sky with every passing moment and Dawn welcomed the warmth that embraced her leather covered body. After a while she even left Astrid's supporting weight and walked on her own with light and small steps. A strange feeling evoked as she looked at their surroundings. It almost felt as if she'd been there before, but the more she tried to remember, the further the memories slipped away.

“Can you at least tell me where we are?” She tried but was met with a chuckle.

“You need to work on your patience, I want to surprise you.” She smiled, her eyes focused straight ahead.

Dawn grunted like a little child, Astrid laughed softly and helped her over a thin creek streaming from the inlands and out in the sea. Everything felt warmer somehow, even the light. As if summer had finally reached the northern parts of Skyrim. They went over a small hill and just when they reached the top and Dawn could see what laid on the other side, she stopped in her tracks. Yes, she had definitely been there before.

“So?” Astrid voice was filled to the brim with excitement. “Do you remember this cozy little place?”

She nodded silently before speaking. “It's...that abandoned shack.”  
  
“Yes, dear. It's also where we first met.” Came an enthusiastic chirp.

Dawn's mouth opened and closed, she didn't really know how to feel about it. “Technically you abducted me and dragged me here.”  
  
Astrid slapped her lightly on the shoulder and put on a fake pout. “Well, aren't you a killjoy. I've been cleaning this place up for us, or more specifically; I had someone do it for me.”  
  
The bluenette looked at the little house with a frown. “That's very romantic of you, Astrid.”

“I have my moments.” She purred and took Dawn's hand and led her down the small rise. She took out the key and unlocked the wooden door. When it opened she was positively surprised. The walls that had been covered with blood were nut brown and the foul stench was completely gone. There were tables, chairs, cabinets - even two beds, one small and one larger, strategically placed near the fireplace. It was as if all the homicidal games Astrid had played there had been washed away.

“Are you going to stand there gawking all day or come inside?” The blonde said as she put her gear on the bed.

Dawn shook her head to clear her thoughts and closed the door behind her. Astrid sat down on the bed, legs crossed and eyes narrowing as she watched Dawn take the room in.

“Is this even the same place?” She said and dropped her bag on the floor as her fingertips stroked the wall.

“Yes, sweetroll,” she chuckled and the bed groaned with her movements, “I had it arranged to look very similar to when I was a girl.”

It took a few moments for Dawn to process what she had said. “Wait, you lived here?”  
  
She nodded lightly. “I was born here. My mother died giving birth to me, so for a while there was just me and my father" she sighed and smoothed the bedsheets with her palm, "after a while, well, I lost him too.”  
  
Dawn had moved closer and sat down on the deer hide in front of the bed. “What happened?”

“He liked to hunt, rabbits, deers, you name it. One day he went off with his bow and didn't come back,” she sighed and rubbed her temple, “I sat here for days, waiting, by Sithis I almost starved to death," she chuckled, "my uncle came knocking one night, said I had to come and live with him, so I did.”

The blue haired girl listened to Astrid's narrative with a rising pulse. She was happy that the older woman finally opened up to her, but it didn't seem to be a particularly joyful story.

“I was fourteen when this happened and lived with my uncle in Solitude for about two years.”

“Did you run away?” She gasped.

Green orbs locked with blue and Dawn felt a shift in the air. “You might say that.” Astrid uncrossed her legs and leaned forward with her elbows resting on her knees. “One night he entered my room and made, well, let's call them _unwanted advances_.” a wicked grin washed over her face, “he didn't get far before I jammed a cutlery knife into the back of his head.”

Dawn's eyes widened to the point where her head almost started to hurt. “I'm so sorry you had to go through something like that.”

“Don't be, I was reborn that night. As for that swine of a man - he deserved it.”

“Did you join the Brotherhood after that?”

“Not right away, no. I suppose that just like you, it took some time for me to figure out who I wanted to be. I wandered Skyrim, did what I had to do to survive. Met a few people I trusted, before disappearing again.” She shrugged and ran a hand through her thick hair.

Dawn remained mute, she didn't really know what to say. Instead, she went over to the bed and sat down. She edged closer to the woman and rested her head against her shoulder. Astrid shifted a bit and put her arm around Dawn's back as she kissed her forehead, her stomach tingled when she inhaled her scent.

“Are you hungry?” The blonde broke the silence.

“I'm always hungry.” She groaned against her ivory neck.

Astrid laughed and squeezed her upper arm. She stood up and went over to three large sacks standing next to the cooking kettle by the fireplace.

“Why don't you get the fire going and I'll see what we have to work with, hmm?”

She nodded and walked over to the wood pile and stacked a few in the hearth. She heard Astrid go outside and used the voice to light the fire. The dragon blood inside of her flared up tiredly and it became clear to her that maybe she should use it more, or else it might fade away. The door opened and Astrid came back in with a few freshly plucked spices in her hand.

“Efficient, as always.” She said and smiled widely at the girl kneeling on the floor.

“Yeah, I'm conveniently blessed with the knowledge of starting a fire. Is there a guild for pyromaniacs?” She stood up and wiped the dust off her hands on her clothes.

Astrid put the ingredients on the table and reached for a large knife. “A young girl with blue hair and a taste for fiery games. I sure hit the jackpot, didn't I?”

Dawn's face turned to a deep shade of crimson and Astrid continued to chop up vegetables, as if her comment had been an everyday routine. For a moment, Dawn mused over the two of them staying at the shack instead of going back. She would wake up every morning to Astrid's freshly brewed hot drink, kiss her goodbye before heading out to hunt for the day, come back home and fall asleep in her arms. She shook her head and snickered at the thought. The mistress of The Dark Brotherhood living a silent, domestic life with the Dragonborn, it was so tragic it was funny.

“What's with the smile?” Astrid's voice cut through her daydreaming.

“Um, nothing. I'm just, you know, glad we've gotten so far.” She clenched her jaw hard.

Astrid hummed in agreement before putting the ingredients in the kettle, stirred a few times with a wooden spoon, then turned back to face her. “There's a wardrobe over there," she pointed with the spoon, "go see if you can find us something to wear instead of these horrid leather tatters.”

She went over to the grand piece of wood, poked around in the drawers till she found two linen tunics similar to the one she had worn on her way to Helgen, as a prisoner for the Imperials. These however were not as ragged and felt soft against her palms.

“Found anything?”

Dawn jumped a little, Astrid had sneaked up behind her. She laughed skittishly and handed her the tunics.

“Perfect.” She said and walked over to the bed to lay down the clothes.

“Hey, can I tell you something?”

Astrid turned to face her and crossed her arms. “Of course, you know you can.”

“Last night, when I...” she rubbed her neck, thinking hard about how everything into words, “when we were at The Katariah, I sort of had a conversation with Titus before he died.”

“Really? How intriguing," she smelled one of the tunics, "ugh, dreadful," she muttered and tossed it aside. "So, tell me, did he whimper at the sight of you?”

Dawn shook her head and laughed softly at Astrid's never-ending reign of terror. “No, nothing like that. But he had a final request, like a death wish.”

The older woman sat down on the bed heavily and Dawn could see that she now had her full attention, “go on,” she said, her voice was low and suddenly very grave.

Dawn instantly regretted starting the conversation, but carried on nonetheless: “He wanted someone dead...more specifically - the person who ordered the assassination. I suppose you know who that is?”

“Indeed I do.”

“So, I thought about it and...I don't know, it just feels like an honourable thing to do.”

The blonde squinted her eyes, she pressed her lips into a thin line before she spoke. “That's very sweet, but you're missing one specific little detail.”

“What?”

Astrid stood up and took slow steps towards Dawn. Her hooded eyes were locked on the younger woman's anxious face, Dawn looked down at her feet. “That's not our way. Either we receive a contract asking for a job to be done,” she stopped right in front of her and put a finger under her chin. Gently, she pushed upward until their eyes met, “or, you take your orders from me. Not dying old sods, are we clear on that?”

“What about the soldiers we killed on the ship? You didn't have a contract on them, did you?” She protested.

“Well, they were in my way,” she shrugged, “now, I'll ask you again. Am I making myself clear?”

Under the piercing gaze of her leader Dawn felt very small, “crystal.”

“Excellent. Now, let's eat.”

* * *

Dawn spread out on floor with a satisfied grunt. She'd stuffed herself with food to the point where she thought her belly might explode. Astrid sat by the fire and wrote on a piece of parchment.

“Who's that for?” She asked curiously.

“I'm sending word to the sanctuary that we'll be on our way home soon,” she sighed, “I suspect my dear husband is beside himself with worry.”

Even if there had been a distinct hint of cynicism in that sentence, Dawn felt the familiar stab of jealousy shoot through her. She rolled onto her side and watched the blonde scribble with a concentrated wrinkle between her eyebrows.

“I think I'll go and clean myself up a little bit.” She said and stood up. Astrid looked up from where she sat, a broad smile appeared on her sharp features.

“That's a lovely idea,” she put the quill and parchment to the side and stood up herself, “I'll go with you. I know just the place.”

“Oh, okay.” Dawn nodded and collected their tunics from the bed and threw one over to the blonde. She had already begun to unbuckle the belts around her waist and Dawn looked away to do the same.

“It's still very peculiar that you and I have been alone together for quite a while, seen blood and guts in all shapes and sizes. You've never looked away, not once. But as soon as I undress your eyes travels in the other direction.”

She smiled shyly to herself. “You know why I do that.”

“I'm just like any other woman, Deathbell.”

“No, you're not.” The girl replied silently, in response came a low chuckle.

“I hope you haven't put me on a pedestal, I'm not worth it.”

Dawn pulled the tunic over her naked torso before removing the leather covering her legs. She looked down at her chest and noticed that the fabric sat very strained in that area. She pulled the strings laced over her breasts as she tried to make it less revealing. She hadn't noticed that Astrid had approached her from behind. Slender arms wrapped around her upper body and the older woman put her head on Dawn's shoulder.

“Am I worth it?” Soft lips brushed against her neck and her breath got caught in her throat. Her fingers entwined with Astrid's and she leaned into the warm body behind her.

“I would walk the seven thousand steps and throw myself from the Throat of the World if that would prove how much you mean to me.” Dawn found herself uttering, almost out of breath.

The other woman snickered in her ear. “That's the most stupid thing I've ever heard, but also the sweetest.”

“Wooing was never my strong suit.”

“Oh, I think you're doing a terrific job,” she whispered and dragged her fingers through Dawn's blue mane.

The now trembling girl cleared her throat. “We should get going. Before it get's dark, I mean.”

The soft body behind her retreated. When she turned the sight before her made her throat go dry. Even if the older woman was dressed in old rags, she looked altogether stunning. The tunic ended right where her long, gracile legs begun. She hadn't been as modest with the laces as Dawn and the opening by her chest revealed quite the ample cleavage. She had let her hair out from her usual hairdo and it fell perfectly around her sharply sculptured face. Once she snapped back to reality she saw Astrid's dark blonde eyebrow arched into a high bow on her forehead.

“Sorry. Uh, I just...” she tried but the blonde interrupted her with a deep chuckle.

“It's fine, dearest. It's a luxury to have someone marvel at the sight of a woman my age. Especially a beauty like yourself, you could have anyone.”  
  
_But I don't want anyone, I want you,_ she thought and felt discourage seep through her chest. Astrid opened the door and reached out her hand for Dawn to take.

Outside, the temperature was falling quickly and goosebumps trailed over her pale skin. They wandered the damp terrain for a few minutes before Dawn could distinguish steam that seemed to rise from the ground. Astrid pointed in the direction of the white mist and smiled delightfully.

“Over there.” She said and leaned against Dawn's chill bumped side.

“What is that?” Her eyes were wide as she stood mesmerized.

“It's a hot spring. There're only a few here in Skyrim. I'm lucky to have grown up right next to one of them.” She replied matter-of-factly.

“I'll say.” Dawn thought about all the cold swims she had taken over the years and shivered. She'd never heard about natural steam baths before, let alone seen one. “I love it.”

“I thought you might.” Astrid said proudly. She appeared younger somehow, as if she could finally relax a bit and not worry about work for a while. Gentle fingers closed around Dawn's wrist and she obediently followed her to the edge of the circled spring. She dipped her toe into the milky water and smiled widely at the sensation. She hadn't even noticed the blonde stripping beside her and let out a high pitched yelp as water splashed over her. Astrid surfaced with a wicked grin spreading across her face.  
  
Dawn quirked an eyebrow. “I'm beginning to wonder which one of us is the more sophisticated adult.”

“Hah! I have never claimed to be sophisticated,” she edged closer to where Dawn was standing, her torso covered by the white, steamy waterline, “now, get in here before I drag you down by your feet.”

Dawn's fingers stroked the seam that ended by her thighs, Astrid's eyes followed the movement. Her chest seemed to rise and fall heavier under the water and it sent jolts of excitement through Dawn's body. Her hand went from the lower part of the tunic and up to the laces. With a swift pull at one of the ends it loosened and she pulled the fabric over her head and tossed it on the ground. The way those green eyes went over her body before everything was securely hidden beneath the surface was an image Dawn wished she could capture and keep forever. The look of pure delight gave Astrid a new facial expression that set the younger woman's body on fire. She dove down and instantly felt the calm underneath the surface. Her hands went over her own naked body as she scrubbed off the dirt. When she came back up and inhaled deeply she saw the other woman sitting on the other end, watching her serenely.

“Come here,” she demanded.

Dawn did as she was told and slid over to the other side of the pool, there was a flat rock on that side to sit on.

“Now, turn around so I can pamper you.” She said in a voice soft as velvet.

The younger woman snickered, turned her back to Astrid and felt hands brush her wet hair over her shoulders. She heard a soft rustle behind her and the anticipation of what the woman would do next was almost too much. Astrid seemed to rip something from the ground before rubbing her hands together, a familiar smell reached her nostrils. She then started to gently rub whatever was in her hands over her skin.

“What is that?”

Slender fingers went over her shoulders and down her upper back, and the pleasant scent grew stronger.

“It's lavender." She said and traced Dawn's spine with her fingers.

"It's your smell." She closed her eyes and focused on Astrid's hands on her body.

"Yes, yes it is," she chuckled, "It'll calm your muscles and your mind, if you know where to apply it.”

“Oh,” Dawn answered dreamily, “and...you do?”

“Mmm, yes. For example,” her arms reached around Dawn and two fingers stroked her left collarbone, “right here.”

She shivered as the blonde's fingers slowly went over the hard rise. A calming sensation spread throughout her body, whether it was because of the crushed petals or Astrid's touch, she didn't know.

“Your turn, here, rub this between your palms.” She gave Dawn the crushed flower and she did as instructed. Astrid's naked back looked like porcelain, pale and delicate, her skin was soft under her hands. The blonde hummed softly as Dawn's fingers traced her sharp shoulder blades. “You are truly blessed with skilled hands, Deathbell.”  
  
Astrid's low voice quickened her heartbeat. “Thank you,” she whispered and swallowed hard.

She rolled her neck until it cracked. “I haven't felt this good since... Well, can't even remember.” She chuckled to herself. “As much as I would like to stay here, I think we should head back.”  
  
“Yeah, it's close to nightfall,” she stated and nodded in agreement, “it's getting chilly.” She added and stood up, the warm water flowed down her body and was replaced by cold air.

Astrid smirked as her eyes fixed upon Dawn's uncovered figure. “Yes, I can tell.”  
  
“Oh, shut up.” Dawn climbed up the edge and put on her tunic. Astrid laughed softly and did the same.

* * *

The fire hissed as she poked the wood restlessly. She had been sitting on the deer hide, staring into the flames for what felt like forever. Astrid had left with their armor to get it cleaned up before their journey back to the sanctuary at first light. Dawn's head felt heavy, there was a heat building up in the pit of her stomach, and the more she thought about green eyes and wild, blonde hair, the more it raged inside of her. The door opened behind her and gave her a start.

“Damn bugs, now I know why I left this place.” Astrid complained loudly as she slammed the door and barred it tightly.

She laughed in response. “You mean that the story you told me earlier today isn't true?”

“Oh, believe me. Every single word I said is true, but that doesn't make them any less of a plague.”

Dawn snickered. “I'll take your word for it.”

Wet leather armor was hanged by the fire to dry and the older woman sat down next to her. They stared at the fire in silence, Astrid leaned back with a deep sigh and supported herself on her elbows. Her green eyes were closed as she enjoyed the warmth coming from the crackling hearth. Her sharp jaw was tilted slightly upwards, exposing her slender neck where the skin slowly moved along with her pulse. Dawn's eyes wandered over her stretched out body, from her long legs, to where her tunic began and upwards. When her eyes went back to her face, Astrid was looking at her fondly. The bluenette instantly looked away and started to finger with the laces by her chest.

“Don't look away.” She said, almost pleadingly.

Her eyes returned to the other woman, who slowly edged closer.

“I'll tell you another story,” Astrid said and pulled the younger girl's legs across her own thighs, her fingers then began to draw invisible circles over her knees, “and I think you will enjoy this one.”

“Oh, okay.” Dawn said, unsure on how else to respond.

“Now,” she started, her voice low and husky, “someone once told me to stay away from forbidden fruit. Not to look at it, think about it or even...touch it.” Her hand slowly traveled from her knee to the spot right above, the circular movements continued and Dawn felt her breath hitch. “I have never been good at taking orders from others, especially when the forbidden fruit is right in front of me just...waiting to be plucked.” Her fingers went down the side of her thigh and to her waist, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind.

“That's....a very interesting story.” Dawn breathed. If it was another wicked game, the blonde played it well this time.

Astrid hushed her softly before she continued. ”I'm not quite finished yet,” her fingertips went over her abdomen and upwards, the only thing between her hand and Dawn's skin was the thin, linen fabric. Astrid leaned forward until her plump lips were mere inches from Dawn's. “You see, how am I supposed to restrain myself...” Her hand stopped right under the younger woman's breast. “When I know that once I have a taste, and the juices fill my mouth...” slender fingers stroked a hardening nipple, Dawn couldn't control the soft gasp escaping from her lips, “it will be the most divine thing I've ever had.”

Astrid's tongue trailed Dawn's lower lip before she opened her mouth and let her inside. Soft kisses quickly became deep and intense. Hungry lips went from Dawn's mouth to her earlobe, her warm tongue trailed the soft bud before taking it into her mouth. A jolt of pleasure went through her body and she grasped a fistful of hair as her hips buckled upward against the woman. The fingers that had timidly played with her nipple now went under the tunic, her hand closed around Dawn's breast and squeezed softly. Astrid smiled against her jaw when another moan erupted from her throat. Gently, she pushed Dawn down on her back and positioned herself between her legs. She pulled her hand back from underneath her clothes and slowly begun to unlace the strings over Dawn's chest. The blonde looked altogether satisfied when the fabric came loose and her pale breasts became less restrained. Slender fingers trailed down her linen covered body and Dawn watched Astrid bend down and leaved a trail of kisses along her inner thigh. The bluenette leaned her head back as the lips came closer to where she desperately needed her touch. Astrid suddenly stopped and Dawn whined in dismay.

“You're wearing too many layers.” She murmured.

Dawn chuckled at that. “It's _one_ layer.”

“Remove it,” she demanded, her eyes dark with wanton. Dawn obeyed and lifted her hips as she pulled it upward. She only managed to get it halfway off her body until Astrid's lips continued to explore her skin. She let go of the fabric and grasped the older woman's hair again as she had almost reached the juices smeared over her inner thighs.

“Didn't I tell you to remove it?” Astrid teased and seemed rather pleased with Dawn's annoyed grunt when she had stopped, “I've seen you do two things at once, I'm sure this is not that difficult.”

“You have no idea how hard...” her words transformed into a soft whimper as Astrid's tongue slid up her wet folds in one swift motion. The woman hummed in delight as her mouth covered Dawn's needy center and sucked gently on the swollen bundle. The blonde came back up and removed the messy tunic from Dawn's torso. She leaned down and kissed the breathless girl underneath her. Dawn tasted herself on the woman's lips and pressed her naked body against Astrid's dressed one.

Her hand traveled between their bodies and she started to draw circles. Slowly, she slid a finger inside and moaned when Dawn dug her nails into her back. Astrid leaned down to her ear. “A thousand times I've imagined how it would feel to be inside of you,” Another finger joined and Dawn groaned as they begun to move inside of her, “but I never thought it would feel this good.” She buried her fingers deeper and deeper, and the blue haired lost control of herself. The older woman closed her lips around her nipple and sucked hard, making Dawn arch her back and claw at the porcelain skin of her lover's back. Astrid's moans of pleasure revealed that she enjoyed this just as much as Dawn did. Adept fingers withdrew and pleading blue eyes searched for green. She only then realized she had been holding her breath and sucked in so much air she thought her lungs would explode. Astrid chuckled darkly by her chest, her heavily lidded eyes beamed with rapture. Dawn knew she enjoyed teasing her, but if she continued like this - Dawn would most likely go insane.

The blonde sat up straight and removed her own tunic. The sight almost made the bluenette lose her breath again. The flames coming from the fireplace casted shadows that danced over the older woman's delicate skin. Astrid seemed to appreciate the way Dawn's eyes devoured her figure and rewarded her with feathered kisses up her inner thigh. She reacted almost mechanically as her head threw back and her back bent upward. A warm tongue swept across her wetness, soft at first, then harder. Astrid moaned into her wet folds but it soon drowned in Dawn's own sounds of pleasure. The skilled muscle circled, went up, down and inside. Every nerve inside of her felt electric, on fire and freezing - all at once. The woman was using her as canvas, drawing her masterpiece carefully and savagely. Astrid locked two arms around Dawn's shaking thighs and held her in place. She was so close, a few more strokes with the blonde's pointed tip and she would fall over the edge. She reached down blindly with her right hand until she found Astrid's and grasped it tightly, her other hand clawed at the deer hide she was laying on. When she finally reached her peak she arched her back, almost inhumanly and the house echoed with her screams. When the older woman emerged from her lower body and stole a deep kiss from a trembling Dawn, all she could think about was making Astrid feel what she had felt. A strong hand grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her up. Seconds later, Astrid was straddling her, breathing as if she hadn't tasted air in years. She kissed Dawn's neck until those rich lips had reached her ear.

“I want you...” she took Dawn's right hand, it was still trembling. She locked eyes with the young woman and put a finger into her mouth. Another jolt of pleasure shot through her as Astrid's tongue swirled around the digit, “inside of me.”

She led it down over her own abdomen and further. Both women gasped when the wet finger met the soaked opening. Astrid pushed herself forward and let Dawn inside. Her finger slid inside with ease, she added a second one and Astrid buried her hands in her blue hair. The low moan coming from the woman sounded like music to her ears. She let her fingers play inside of the blonde, the soft walls tightened and relaxed. Dawn added a third finger and Astrid started to move against her hand. She bent her head down and licked a hardening nipple. The blonde's movements became harder, her moans louder. Their bodies were covered in sweat by the violent rocking and the warmth radiating from the burning ashes in the hearth latched onto their bodies. Astrid threw her head back as Dawn curved her fingers inside of her and the girl grinned to herself. It didn't take long before she felt the older woman's muscles tighten around her digits, it almost felt as if they would break along with the pressure. But Dawn didn't care - she was too busy marveling at her lover, that all other senses were conquered. The strong legs that straddled her thighs started to shake. Astrid dug her nails into her back, her entire body tensed before she convulsed into a loud, seemingly wonderful, climax. She then laid down on the hide, breathing heavily and her eyes shut tightly. Her lips were curled into a delicious grin as she made satisfied humming noises. Dawn stared in amazement at the woman before her, still hungry to explore the porcelain skin.

Astrid's eyes opened. She peeked at the girl before closing them again, chuckling softly. “You look tired,” she murmured.

“I am tired,” She smiled timidly, “and a bit surprised.”

“Surprised,” Astrid repeated contentedly. “And why is that?”

Dawn puffed and tried to gather her thoughts. “Well, I never thought _this_ would happen.”

“No?” The woman said in a soft voice, “I thought I was clever throughout our little adventure, dropping little hints here and there, must be losing my touch.”

Dawn snickered and laid down next to the blonde and nuzzled up against her neck. “Well, can you blame me?” She paused and clenched her jaw before speaking again, “you're married.”  
  
“Indeed I am,” came a short reply, “but that won't stop me from being completely enthralled by you.”

Dawn's chest fluttered. “So, what does that make me, your paramour?”

Astrid laughed silkily and stroked the younger woman's jawline with her thumb. “Do you want to be my paramour?”

Dawn looked up at her, she leaned forward and stole a soft kiss. “I want to be yours.”

The older woman left her side and crawled on top of her. She kissed her neck and continued up her jawline. She stopped at her ear, her hand traveling downward between their bodies. “Then you are mine.” She whispered.

* * *

The fire had died and left the shack cold and dark. Astrid had lit a few candles and crawled into the bed next to a shuddering Dawn. Their naked bodies entwined and she felt little bubbles of joy playing inside her belly. It was late, or early; depending on how one measured time. A few hours of sleep would do them both some good, but Dawn had one last thing to say. She needed to truly give herself to Astrid, and there was only on way she could do that.

“Astrid?” She begun.

“Hmm?” She replied tiredly.

“There's something I have to tell you, something important.”

Astrid groaned a little but Dawn knew she was listening. “You have my full attention, Deathbell,” she whispered into her hair.

“Before I joined the brotherhood, I wasn't just traveling around Skyrim seeking adventures...”

“As much as I love hearing you speak, dearest, you've worn me out completely and I would very much like it if you to stick to the short version, please.”

Dawn chewed on her inner cheek and decided just to spit it out. “I defeated Alduin, I have the voice...I am the Dragonborn.”

There was a silent pause and the air started to feel heavy around her.

“I know.” Astrid said softly and Dawn's heart skipped a beat.

“Wha-...What do you mean?” She turned to face the woman and pushed herself upward in a half sitting position. “How?”

Astrid chuckled. “Killing Dragons isn't a very stealthy job, it makes people talk. And when people talk, we listen.”

“So, you mean the Dark Brotherhood has been following me ever since I slayed my first dragon?”

“Well, yes and no,” she started. “at first, Veezara did the stalking and reported back to me, when you became famous I had to see you for myself, your potential. Conveniently, there was a contract with your name on it.”

“But I killed the assassin that day, that couldn't have been you.” She stated, confused out of her mind.

“Indeed you did, a new recruit if I remember correctly. She was clearly not one of my favourites.”

“So, where were you?” She raised an eyebrow, “hiding in the bushes?”

“Something like that. I saw you bash her head in, read the note before crumbling it together and carelessly drop it on the dead body.” It sounded like it was a memory she cherished, Dawn almost didn't remember any of it.

“Why did you want me dead then, if you thought I was an asset to your family?” The disappointment in her voice couldn't have gone unnoticed.

“Come on, dearest. You know how the contracts work. I could have done the job myself, but then you wouldn't be laying next to me right now, undressed and altogether delicious.” Her fingers caressed the scar tissue on Dawn's abdomen.

She nodded, then she frowned. “That was ages ago. How long have you been following me?”

Astrid cracked into a sharp laughter. “Do you understand how bored I've been playing chaperone? I finally had something to do, a purpose. So, I assigned almost everything involving paperwork to Nazir, who gladly accepted. Every time you went off the grid we thought you were dead, then you were spotted in different locations throughout Skyrim,” she rolled onto her belly and pushed herself up on her elbows, resting her head on her knuckles, “when we heard you were about to face Alduin I remember thinking that if you came back alive, I would personally invite you to our home. After that it took a while before we heard from you again, that was the day you killed Grelod the Kind.”

Dawn couldn't decide if she believed everything Astrid had said or not, it felt too surreal. How couldn't she have noticed someone had been following her for so long? Astrid's stealth skills were ridiculously good, but it still didn't make sense. She chose to let those thoughts rest for a moment. If there was more to the story she would find out, sooner or later.

“Does everyone know?” She asked, looking down at the older woman.

She smiled softly before leaving a soft peck on her arm. “No, only Veezara, Nazir and myself.”

“Not Arnbjorn?” She blurted out, surprised to say the least.

Astrid shook her head. “There are certain things I would trust my husband with, and certain things he will never know, makes our marriage healthier.” Dawn could almost see the irony seep out between the blonde's lips. Ironically, it satisfied her a little.

“Am I allowed some sleep now, or would you rather carry my tired body back home?”

The girl laughed and descended down next to her warm lover. “Can I ask you one last question?” She said after a few moments.

Astrid grunted and she considered it to be a 'yes'. “Who tried to summon you to have me killed?”

She heard the woman take a deep breath before answering quietly. “We never got to know. There was a note outside the door and a generous amount of gold. The note had your name on it.”

“So there wasn't even an actual contract, you just decided to take the gold and send someone to take me down?”

“Now now, no need to get defensive, dear,” Astrid shifted and put her arm under Dawn's head, “like I said, it was a perfect opportunity to see if you were a person of our calibre.”

Dawn relaxed, she had definitely been around twisted people long enough to accept Astrid's words as a fair explanation. “Okay, that's all I needed to know...for now.” She added.

“Right then, we'll speak about this tomorrow. As for now, I just want to hold you, do I have you permission?” Her voice sent pleasant chills down her spine. Astrid wanted her close, she still couldn't believe it was true. She curled up against the woman and was embraced, gently, by two strong arms.

“You have my permission.”

 


	8. Deceivers

Astrid sat up a little straighter under the covers. The girl was still sound asleep and clung to her waist. The cracks in the wall let in little rays of morning sun that landed on her body, it almost looked magical. She twirled a blue lock of hair around her fingers, the color had faded from dark azure to a more cerulean blue. They had to fix that when they got back home. _Home,_ she thought and almost sunk deeper into the bed. There were a lot of things she had to _fix_ once they got back. Astrid had pushed aside every haunting thought of what might happen when her husband found out, what he could do – and would do. She'd been selfish, she knew that very well, and the girl is young - too young. There would be a moment of clarity coming sooner rather than later, where she would decide if everything had just been an insane midlife crisis, a feather in her cap, or something real. Her empty gaze went back to Dawn, relaxed and nearly motionless, and her chest tightened. _No,_ she thought as a smile spread across her lips, _this is real._

Slowly, she crept out of bed and reached for her armor. It had dried and yielded like a dead rabbit in her hands. She put it on as soundless as she could and went outside. Her mind scribbled down everything she knew Dawn needed for her hair – blue butterfly wings, at least two deathbell flowers and some nirnroot extract to make the hair absorb the color. All could be found around the shack, if one knew where to look – and Astrid certainly did. After only a few minutes she had already caught two butterflies, blue as the ocean and was just about to pluck a grand deathbell when she heard a twig snap behind her. She knew all too well Dawn would never sneak up on her. In mere seconds her blade was on her stalker's throat. It was a boy, no older than Dawn. His clothes were covered in mud and his eyes were bloodshot.

“What do you think you're doing?” Astrid hissed and pushed the blade so tight against his throat she broke his skin.

“P-please...don't kill me,” he panted, and she felt like an idiot for not hearing his stupid breathing before he had gotten so close, “I..I have a message for you. From The Dark Brotherhood.”

She held his gaze steadily as he reached down his little bag and fished out a piece of paper. “Please don't kill me.” He repeated, pleadingly.

She snatched the paper from his hand. “Shut up. I'll read this and then, _I_ will decide what to do with you.”

The boy started to sob, which only irritated her more. She sheathed her weapon and pushed the boy down on his knees in front of her, and started to read.

_Astrid,_

_The sanctuary is under siege. A group of men attacked earlier this week, led by Arnbjorn. They have taken over our home and call themselves 'The Brotherhood of the Wolf'. Festus have been conspiring against you with Arnbjorn, against all of us. They let me and Babette out alive, to send a message. We need you. There's only one sanctuary left now, you know where it is and we will be there waiting for your return - our true leader._

_The boy who delivered the message knows too much, you know what to do._

_Yours truly,_

_Nazir_

Astrid had read the note through three times, her heart felt like it had shattered into a thousand little pieces. Green eyes became blank with tears. Then, sorrow got replaced with anger - as fast as a lightning bolt lit up the sky. She clenched her fist and the note fell down on the ground as a tiny ball. How could she not have seen? All the years they had spent together reflected a jealousy of the power he would never possess, it all became clear. As if it had been a reflex she kicked the boy in the jaw and he fell backwards, wailing in pain. His hands covered his face as if it would protect him from another strike, she kneeled down beside him and grabbed a fistful of nut brown hair.

“Who gave you the letter?” She mumbled between gritted teeth.

“I beg oh uh, don hur me,” he slurred, she had managed to break his jaw rather badly - It didn't matter.

She put a knee on his elbow and cut deeply into his palm. “I'm growing weary of your begging. Tell me who gave you the letter, and I might spare your miserable life.” She spat.

“I do noh is nae,” he sobbed and shut his eyes.

“Well, try harder. I don't need a name, I need a face!” She urged and pressed the blade deeper. He screamed in agony and kicked the ground hysterically.

“Pleesh! He wa a redga!” He howled and she stopped the torture.

“What's that?” She mockingly put her ear closer to his face. “He was a Redguard, Is that what you said?”

He nodded slowly, probably thinking it was over. Astrid got up from the ground and pulled him up by his collar. “Go. Leave!” She bellowed as he didn't seem to understand. He stumbled away as fast as he could. When he had gotten about ten meters she weighed the blade in her hand before throwing it hard. With a sound that would make anyone sick to the stomach, it plunged to his back and he fell, lifeless, to the ground. She walked over to him and pulled the knife out of his flesh and wiped it clean with her gloves. They had to leave right away, and she knew exactly where they had to go. It would be at least one day's journey to Dawnstar, but there was nothing she could do about that.

* * *

Dawn had woken up alone in the gloomy shack. Fifteen minutes later she was dressed and started packing their belongings, a smile constantly playing on her lips. Their tunics laid tossed on the floor by the fireplace, she almost didn't want to move them. They were memories, scattered and untouched. After a moment, she decided to bring them too. She took Astrid's and gently inhaled whatever scent that was left of her. Behind her the door swung open and made an ear shattering noise as it collided with the wall. She spun around and saw Astrid, but it was not the same woman she had seen last night. Her face was pale as the moon, her hands clenched into fists and eyes blank with tears.

“We have to leave, now!” She hurried past her and grabbed her own bag from Dawn's grip, “get your things, and hurry!” Her voice was unsteady and harsh.

Dawn stood dumbfounded, mouth slightly agape. “What's happening?”

“There's no time to explain. We need to head east, to Dawnstar.” She walked on and off, it seemed to Dawn she didn't really know what she was doing.

“I'm not moving until you tell me what's going on!” Dawn tried to sound firm, but it came out weaker than she had expected.

“Don't act like a child, Dawn!” Astrid yelled at her, “if I tell you we have to leave, you obey!”

Dawn blinked and felt tears of disappointment sting in her eyes. She took a deep breath and went up to the blonde, and closed her fingers around her hand. Astrid looked at her, her usually soft green eyes had turned into an intense shade of emerald.

“They destroyed my family...our family.”

“Who did? Astrid. What's going on?” She started to feel frightened, partly because of the way the woman was acting. She had always been the collected person in a crisis, now she seemed to be altogether broken.

“Arnbjorn, he has brought outsiders into the sanctuary and...” her legs gave in and she kneeled down on the floor, one hand covering her face as the other clenched around Dawn's. “I can't...I can't...” she murmured, Dawn felt both terrified and awkward. She sat down beside the woman and gently put her arms around her.

“How do you know this?” She started and tried to keep her voice soft and even.

“Nazir sent a message.”

Dawn frowned, “how could he have known we're here? And why would Arnbjorn keep him alive?”

Astrid shook her head miserably. “I can't be sure, but we have to get to Dawnstar.”

“What if it's a trick?”

Astrid's eyes shot up. Her cheeks glistened with wet tears but her face had morphed into a vexed expression, “damn it, Dawn! That sanctuary has been my home since I was a girl. If you're so scared of dying, then stay behind!”

Dawn knew she didn't mean it, she couldn’t have. She took a deep breath and kept her arms around the blonde, “no, I'm sorry. I won't leave you. We'll leave right now.”  
  
She helped Astrid up to her feet and they remained silent as they collected the last of their belongings. Outside the sun was grim against their leather covered bodies. Suddenly, Dawn had an idea.

“Wait here!” She gushed and ran a few yards away. Astrid said nothing, but complied. Dawn looked to the sky and closed her eyes. She gathered all the strength she had left in her body, parted her lips and felt the voice flow through her.

“OD AH VIING!” She shouted and nearly fell backwards by the force her own shout had conjured. Behind her, Astrid walked slowly towards where she stood and looked up to the sky.

“What did you do?” She mumbled, almost voicelessly.

“Just trust me.” Dawn answered reassuringly.

It didn't take long for them to distinguish a black dot in the sky that grew larger with every passing second. She heard Astrid gasp and reach for her blade, but Dawn stopped her.

“Don't,” she mumbled, “just trust me.”

The dragon hovered above them before landing a few feet away. He moved his head in somewhat of a bow as his eyes fixed upon Dawn.

“Drem Yol Lok, Dovahkiin,” his rumbling voice cut through the peaceful air, “I have been wondering when I would stand before the Kendov again, the Warrior.”

Dawn bowed and gave the old dragon a little smile, “greetings, Odahviing. Is that what you call me nowadays?”

“Hmm, yes. At least amongst us dragons. I cannot speak for the mortals,” his eyes turned to Astrid, whom stood petrified in the background, “fear not, little human. I am not here to do harm.”

Dawn took Astrid's hand and pulled her forward. The blonde unwillingly took a few steps towards the massive creature.

“We need safe and quick passage to Dawnstar, can you help us with that?” Dawn continued.

“To ride with a Dovah is never safe, but it is indeed the fastest way of traveling,” he explained as only a dragon could. He lowered his body and Dawn climbed up on his armored back. She offered a hand to Astrid who hesitated for a second before taking it.

“If I fall, I will kill you,” she whispered, quite humorously behind Dawn. Her arms reached around her waist and locked themselves tightly by her stomach.

“I don't doubt that for a second,” she smiled and gripped the scales, they seemed to perfectly fit her hands.

“At your command, Dovahkiin,” the dragon said and raised his body towards the sky.

“Fly!”

The dragon lifted and in a few seconds, the once again abandoned shack became a small dot and blended in with the rest of the world.

* * *

Odahviing had dropped them within a stone throw away from the small village, near the sea where the roaring waves drowned the sound of his enormous wings. They bid farewell and the dragon disappeared with a promise to once again help her whenever she called. Astrid had already hurried up the path that went through the village. Dawn ran after her and they didn't even care about the strange looks they got from the villagers doing their morning chores. They rounded a corner of a mountain that raised tall behind the village and stopped right in front of a familiar door. It looked exactly the same as the one in Falkreath, with the skull and the eerie skeleton. Astrid put her hand against the solid stone and it spoke.

“ _What is life's greatest illusion_.”

“Innocence, my brother.” Astrid said and pushed the door open right after it had greeted her as an equal.

The door almost closed before Dawn could catch it and she managed to slip inside. She heard voices as she stumbled down the stairs.

“...we're the only ones left.” Nazir's voice echoed in the empty room. He supported himself on a walking stick. His left leg wore a large bandage that was wet with blood. His eyes tiredly fell upon Dawn, and he smiled softly.

“You look well,” he limped over to her and put a hand on her shoulder, “I'm glad.”

“What happened?” Asked Astrid as she pulled a chair out for him to lean on.

“A few nights ago we were all awaken by a brutal group of men, Festus had let them in,” he gazed vacantly over the room, “they dragged us out in the hall where they executed Veezara...they later replaced the head of hay sack with his to practice their aim.” He said sorrowfully and looked down at the floor.

Dawn felt nauseous as images of her friend's severed head, covered in arrows, flowed through her mind.

“By Sithis...” Astrid exhaled, “how long did they keep you there?”

Nazir shrugged and turned to his leader, “no more than tree nights, at least they had the decency to feed me – water and bread. Although, they starved Babette to the point where she sat and wailed like a dying cat.”

“Where is she now?” Dawn asked, her voice coated with worry, “has she fed yet?”

“She's downstairs. I have offered my blood, but she won't take it. She's getting weaker and weaker.”

“And Gabriella?” Astrid asked, the fury in her voice made Dawn's skin crawl.

Nazir sighed heavily. “Astrid...”

“Tell me,” she said in a low voice, “tell me what they did to her.”

“They burned her alive, when she had stopped screaming they took her down and lay her in front of us...then they forced Babette to feed from her. Not only did she drink dead blood, she had to eat the remains of a sister.”

Dawn gasped and coverer her mouth with her hands. Anger bubbled up inside of her, she would tear them apart – all of them. She would open them up and see what they were made of.

“Your husband explained to me he had planned this for months...and that your obsession with our newest recruit has made you blind, which made his cause a lot easier.”

Astrid crossed her arms, her hand fidgeting with a blond strand of hair, “and do you agree, Nazir? Do you think this is all my fault?”

“The thought hasn't even crossed my mind, Astrid,” he stated firmly, “what he has done is not personal, it is the work of a madman lusting for power.”

“Oh, believe me, this is as personal as it gets. And we will let him know exactly how this feels,” Astrid drawled, her words promising retaliation.

“We don't have the numbers, nor do we have supplies, or coin,” the man proclaimed and stepped over to Astrid, “this is a fight we cannot win.”

“I will not sit and cower in this rotten cave,” She raised her voice and pointed at the floor, as to prove a point, “I did not spend twenty years of my life building up our family from nothing to watch it all go up in flames, we will take it back, by Sithis, they will pay.”

Nazir bowed his head respectfully and Dawn, who had been standing in the background listening with a heavy heart, walked up to Astrid and took her arm.

“We'll figure something out,” she looked at Nazir, “the four of us.”

Nazir cleared his throat, “five.”

“What?” Both women uttered simultaneously.

A tired chuckle came from the man as he took a step closer to them, “a few hours after we arrived we found someone, curled up in front of the fireplace.”

“That's impossible,” Astrid spoke, her voice cold as a winter's morning, “no one enters the door without the password.”

Nazir's calm, brown eyes looked at them both as he seemed to try and find the right words, “well, there's more – he claims to be the Night Mother's Keeper.”

Astrid let out a laugh, one that dripped with disbelief, Dawn could tell, “I'm sorry, but please, tell me you're joking?”

Nazir shook his head, clearly not finding it as amusing as Astrid did, “his name is Cicero, he's a member, but not from Skyrim.”

“Then where does he come from?” She snapped.

“Cyrodiil, he's a survivor.”

“I must have taken him weeks, even months to get here.” Dawn blurted out. Her two superiors looked at her with raised eyebrows, as if they'd forgotten she was there.

“Yes, yes indeed.” Astrid said and rested her hand on a nearby table, “where is he now?”

“Downstairs, probably in the room he claimed. He hasn't said much, to us at least.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Said Dawn.

Nazir took a deep breath before choosing his words, “he keeps talking...to the walls.”

Astrid's hand cramped into a fist and she knocked on the wood underneath. Dawn knew she wanted to slam her fist right through it. She watched the woman's jaw clench, and all she wanted to do was to hold her.

“Is there a torture chamber in this hell hole?”

“There is, but Astrid is this really-”

“Yes! Now, Dawn get him in there so we can find out if he's a spy.” She interrupted.

“Alright, but...” Dawn put a hand on her shoulder, she felt the woman stiffen a bit under her palm, “let's think about this for a minute.”

Astrid pulled away and Dawn's heart stopped for a moment. The older woman turned her back to her family and leaned on the wooden table, just like she used to do at home. But they weren't home, and Astrid was furious.

“Damn it! I will _not_ stay here and roll my thumbs while they sit in our chairs and sleep in our beds!” She yelled and slammed her fist on the table once more.

Dawn and Nazir stood silent. She felt herself fall into hopelessness, even if this _Keeper_ turned out to be a spy, there was nothing they could do. She decided to play along, there was no point in arguing.

“I'll go get him,” she said and hurried down the stairs.

The place was immense with every possibility for her to get lost. A training chamber was the first thing she saw when she came down the curved staircase. Her thoughts immediately went to Veezara as she saw the moldy hay sacks with old arrows shot deeply into its head. She looked away and tried to focus on the task at hand. The first room she peeked into was empty. Then, she heard muffled talking behind the next door. She carefully opened it, the old hinges groaned with the movement. A small man sat on the bed, pressed against the wall. Dressed as a Jarl's fool, his hair red as blood and his face bleak and haggard. His lips were moving at a rapid pace, repeating words she couldn't quite make out. She stepped closer, careful not to startle him.

“...Cicero is sorry. Cicero failed,” he chanted meagerly, “cicero is sorry. Cicero failed.”

She cleared her throat but he didn't react, he kept repeating the words over and over.

“Hey, Cicero,” she begun, taking a few steps further into the room, “...is that your name?”

“Cicero is sorry...” he kept staring at the wall. She sat down on the other end of the bed. Surely, this wasn't the way Astrid had wanted her to handle it, but Dawn had no idea who he was or what he could do.

“Why are you sorry?” She tried and he finally stopped mumbling. His face turned and she could finally see how absolutely insane the small man looked. His eyes were bloodshot and his cheeks were bony and sickly white.

“Cicero just wanted to make Mother proud. But poor Cicero failed and now Mother is stuck.”

“Okay, it's fine. Is...” she sighed and tried to figure out how to get him to follow her, “is your mother here?”

He cried out and she almost reached for her weapon, “Cicero took the back door, but Cicero had forgotten about the beast and now, now Mother is stuck!” He wailed and slammed his head against the wall.

Dawn stood up, the man was clearly mad. She had to think fast, “I'll help you get her.”

“Really?” His eyes glistened with joy.

“Yes, just show me where she is.” 

“Oh ho ho! Cicero is forever grateful. No, Cicero never forgets!” He jumped up and down, like a child, “follow Cicero, Cicero leads the way!”

He ran out the door and Dawn followed, careful not to let him out of her sight. He stopped in front of a large glass window, marbled in dark colors that formed their skull symbol. Cicero pulled a lever next to the window and it opened heavily, releasing a cold breeze from the other side. She looked inside and saw a thick tunnel of ice.

“What is this place?” She gasped and her breath formed a white cloud in the cold air.

“Hurry! Find Mother!” He hissed from behind her, “watch your step. Yes, noises wakes the beast. Cicero barely got away.”

He giggled in a way that made Dawn's stomach turn. She could just hit him in the face hard enough to make him pass out, but she had to admit she was a little curious.

“Alright, stay here and I'll see what I can do.” She stepped inside, looking over her shoulder to make sure he obeyed. She came around a curve and lost sight of him. The tunnel opened up into a massive hall of ice. Skeletons covered the floor and not making noises was hard. After about two minutes nothing had happened and she began to think the jester had played a joke on her – _how fitting_. In the corner of her eye she saw something standing against the solid wall of ice. A large carved out stone block on top of a broken wagon, it looked like...

“A coffin?” She wondered out loud.

A head-splitting roar came from behind her and she turned on the spot and watched in horror as a troll ran towards her in full speed. She rolled away and grasped her mace, never losing focus on the monster. It slammed its massive fists on the ice as it prepared for another charge. Dawn leaped into the air and used her whirlwind shout to overpower the beast. She managed to land on its back and clung to its throat. The troll swung his long arms around as it tried to pull her off. She raised her weapon and buried the mace in his skull. He fell and she rolled off him and landed hard on the ice, her hip took a hit on the ground, she groaned in pain and stood up.

“Is Mother safe?” Cicero's voice echoed as he came sneaking over the bone covered floor.

“Yes...” She gasped and retrieved her weapon from the troll's head, “you're telling me your mother is inside _that_? It's a coffin.”

Cicero embraced the stone figure and Dawn could only stand there and watch with a deep frown, “she's not just my Mother, silly. She's Mother to all -  _The Night Mother._ ”

“You've got to be kidding me...” Dawn exhaled.

“Hey! What's going on here?” Astrid yelled as she came out from the tunnel. She grabbed Dawn's arm and put a warm hand on her cheek, “are you alright?” The concern in her voice filled Dawn with a sudden rush of glee.

“I'm fine, just a little bruised, as usual,” she looked over Astrid's shoulder, the little man payed no attention to them and continued to gently run his hands over the coffin, “that's him.”

Astrid turned around and froze, Dawn felt there was something she hadn't quite grasped about the situation.

“How in Sithis's name did you get that?” She had taken a step towards the wagon but stopped suddenly, as if she was afraid to get any closer.

Cicero chuckled and traced the carvings with a trembling hand, “the Night Mother's home was abandoned, and poor Cicero could not leave without his sweet Mother. Cicero ran away, yes, he ran.”

“And you just happened to end up in the sanctuary in the north right after the one in the south was invaded?” Astrid drawled.

“Cicero didn't know there were two!” He shrieked, “Cicero has been here for months. But not alone, never alone, mother has been keeping him company, and Cicero has kept her safe, yes.”

Dawn took a few steps forward and put a hand on Astrid's shoulder, “he can't be a spy, Astrid. He's completely nuts,” she whispered.

Astrid looked over her shoulder at Dawn. There was something going on inside her mind, a conflict. If there was something about the coffin they would figure it out, ignore it even. Whatever it contained was dead, and dead things couldn't do anything.

“The Night Mother is gone. It's an ancient rule that we have chosen not to follow.”

As soon as the words had rolled out of Astrid's mouth the jester stiffened. He turned towards her, anger twisting his face into an ugly sneer, “no one disrespects the Night Mother! No one!” He screamed and looked as if he was ready to attack the blonde.

“The leader of this family is me, not a rotting corpse in a coffin.” Astrid said, in a surprisingly calm tone.

The two assassins started arguing and Dawn did nothing to stop it. It was as mesmerizing as it was embarrassing to watch. Astrid used her usual authority on someone who had the same mind as a five year old. She almost wanted to slap them both. Suddenly, she heard a hissing sound coming from somewhere behind Cicero. Another troll was her first guess - but trolls don't hiss, it had to be something else. The sound continued but was drowned in the frantic voices by the two. Dawn closed her eyes and tried to focus, it was useless.

“Will you two shut up!” She shouted and they did, looking at her with raised eyebrows, “just...shut the hell up.”

She walked past them and climbed up the wagon. The stone was cold against her face as she pressed her ear against the coffin. Chills ran down her spine as she realized where it came from, “can you hear that?” She whispered and looked at Astrid, who stood petrified with a heaving chest.

“Dawn, step away from the coffin,” she said in a low voice. But Dawn didn't move, she couldn't. Her hand reached around the uneven handle and pulled the coffin open. The reek of death almost made her fall backwards and the rotten corpse inside had her stomach tighten. She should have been prepared for it, if she had understood anything about the Night Mother it was that she couldn’t have been a pretty sight – and what she saw before her confirmed it. The wheezes became louder until Dawn could hear words coming from the dead woman's still lips.

“ _Finally, a worthy soul approaches,”_ her voice filled Dawn's brain,  _“fear not, child, for you are the Listener.”_

“Astrid...” Dawn's voice was trembling, “she's talking to me.”

She heard Cicero gasp in delight at her words. She didn't know what was happening but she started to feel nauseous. Then, it felt like someone put a black veil over her eyes, and she fell into nothingness.

 


	9. The Jester and his Mother

Dawn's eyes fluttered open as she regained consciousness. She had fainted, again, and had probably hit her head, again. There was a war going on inside her skull, as if tiny soldiers pecked with their tiny swords against her forehead. The icy hall was gone and she lay on a bed, stripped down to her undergarments. Droplets of sweat covered her brow and she wiped them off with the back of her hand. The room was dark, only a few candles cast a soft light in the corners and she suddenly felt very exposed. Her bag was laying on the foot of the bed. Astrid wasn't there, but she figured she had been the one dragging her away from the coffin. Quickly, she sat up straight and swung her feet over the bedside. Desperation filled her mind and she stumbled out of bed to find something to cover her body with. A cabinet stood tall by one of the walls and she ripped open a drawer and searched blindly for some fabric - someone had put her armor there. It felt strange, she had woken up in a room with all of her things and a single bed. Did Astrid plan to shut her out just because she _might_ have heard the Night Mother's voice? Why was that even important? She had said it herself – it's an outdated way of living. Dawn pulled the leather trousers over her legs, already feeling too warm. She didn't bother with covering her half naked torso, figured she'd probably melt if she put something else on. She had to find the coffin, she had to know what was going on.

She tried to memorize every turn she made around corners and every open room she looked inside. The chance that she would would find her way back was slim to none – the place was huge. There were not a lot of furniture save for some dusty bookcases and broken chairs. She went up the staircase and came to the room where she and Astrid had met Nazir. There it stood, tall and terrifying, on a platform with a small set of stairs leading up to it. Every step felt heavier than the other and soon she was close enough to touch the stone box.

“Hello?” She whispered and waited, impatiently, for something to happen. Nothing but silence, it felt stupid, all of it. Of course she had heard a voice, but it must have been her tired mind playing tricks on her. She turned to leave but stopped suddenly when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

“ _Come closer, my child,”_ the voice filled her head, and this time, she knew it was real.

Dawn did as she was bid and stepped closer, almost as if she was in a trance, “why am I the only one who can hear you?” She began, not really sure where to focus her eyes on the big rock.

The Night Mother let out a sound that resembled chuckle, but sounded more like someone choking on food.

“ _You and I have a very special bond, and history,”_ the voice wheezed.

“History? I haven't even been a member for a full year,” she answered in disbelief. 

“ _You have been chosen to hear my voice, like so many before you. Chosen, to lead the Dark Brotherhood.”_

Dawn frowned, “no, that's not right. Astrid is _my_ leader, she should be Listener, not me.”

“ _Such a sweet, naive girl you are,"_   the voice uttered, mockingly, _"Astrid is not worthy, she has lead the family down another path and thus lost her way.”_

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. If the dead woman wanted her to take Astrid's place, she wanted nothing to do with it.

“I don't care if I'm the Listener, I would never do that to Astrid.”

“ _Defying me can lead to severe consequences. Choose your words carefully.”_

Dawn felt anger seep through her veins. “I'm not the one you want, sorry, but I'm not interested.”

She blocked out whatever the voice would say next and hurried downstairs. She peeked through every door to see if she could find Astrid anywhere. The last door to the left was bigger than the others and Dawn tried her luck. Candlelight gave the otherwise depressing chamber a comforting glow, it was just as sparingly furnished as the room she had woken up in – save for the king sized bed. Astrid stood by a table in one of the corners, carefully tracing her finger over a large map that had been pinned down by rusty daggers. A black, silken robe with a red skull embroidered on the back covered her figure.

“It seems like I drew the shortest straw here, no one had left fancy robes in my room,” she began, in a humorous manner as her eyes went over the blonde's silky outfit, “I suppose being overseer has its perks.”

Astrid didn't turn around, Dawn felt a sting in her chest as the air around them thickened, “well, you tell me,” she answered glumly.

“Astrid, please,” she took a few steps forward, “I didn't ask for any of this, I don't even know exactly what it means.”

Astrid glanced at her over her shoulder and schoffed, “but I suppose the part where you now are the highest authority surely hasn't slipped past you?” The tone she used made Dawn's discourage grow, she ignored the roar of dismal that ached inside of her and walked up behind the woman. She put her arms around Astrid, who stiffened a little but soon leaned into the touch.

“I'm not Arnbjorn, and I'm not here to take your place. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you, Astrid, you have to know that,” she let her hands travel down the blonde's arms and entwined their fingers, her face buried in Astrid's thick hair.

The woman turned slowly, there was a ghost of a smile on her lips as she stroked Dawn's hair from her face. She could see the sadness glistering in her green eyes, but there was something else. A reflection of kindness and affection Dawn knew the woman usually hid beneath her unyielding surface. She bent down and kissed Dawn on the corner of her mouth, like she had done the first time they'd spoken. She then pressed their foreheads together, her hands buried in Dawn's blue mane.

“I love you,” she whispered.

* * *

A few, quiet days passed without any progress - for any of them. Babette had accepted to drink blood from a deer they had caught for dinner, but she wouldn't talk to anyone – not even Nazir. Cicero turned out to be quite skilled with a set of knives, but wouldn't shut up about the Night Mother. Dawn stood by a large bookcase she had come across whilst exploring the sanctuary, she needed to get away from all the fuss and discussions. Her hand brushed off the dust to reveal the titles. At first glance there was nothing too interesting, a copy of _An Explorers Guide to Skyrim_ , _Sithis_ and of course _– The Lusty Argonian Maid Vol. I_ and _II._ She chuckled as she continued to trace the titles with her hand. She stopped suddenly as an old piece caught her eye. She took it out and placed it on the tabletop in front of her.

“The Lycanthrope, Strengths and Weaknesses - A study by Brungir Eilar 1E 200.” She read and opened the book carefully. Her eyes went over the almost unrecognizable letters as her heart began to race.

“There you are.” Astrid's husky voice came from the opened door. She leaned against the frame with her arms crossed, looking at her through heavily lidded eyes.

Dawn waved her hand, beckoning Astrid to come closer and share her recent discover, “come see this, this is just what we need!”

The older woman stood behind her and glanced over her shoulder, “dearest, I truly appreciate your help, but I've been married to a werewolf for some time now and I'm sure nothing in that book will surprise me. Besides, I've been cleaning all day and don't feel like diving into books written by old, virgin sods nesting in the College of Winterhold,” she crossed her arms and gave Dawn a bored stare.

She raised her eyebrows at her, “alright then, if you're so well informed - name three things that would instantly kill or seriously harm a werewolf,” she answered smugly as she turned pages and scanned the letters thoroughly.

The woman stood silent and thought so hard Dawn could almost hear her brain working, “silver...” she murmured, and let out a heavy sigh, “you win, I'm not entirely educated on the subject of man-wolves. So, please – enlighten me,” she brushed Dawn's hair from her neck and started to trace the skin with her lips.

Despite the distracting tingling in her body, Dawn continued to focus on the pages, “well, for starters silver weakens the wolf, but it doesn't kill it, not through just a simple cut at least..." she gasped when the older woman's traveled over her abdomen, "Astrid, are you even listening?”

“Mhmm,” she purred as she kissed her jawline, “do carry on.”

Dawn cleared her throat and continued to read out loud: “however, there's a way to weaken and even kill the werewolf if one does not hold silver. After years of research on the matter I have found that extract from the wild flower _Wolfsbane_ can injure and even be lethal for the beast, should you manage to make a deep cut or have him consume it,” at some point, Astrid had actually stopped and payed attention to what the book said. Dawn turned around, thrilled as if she had found the cure to a deadly disease, “we can beat him.”

“You do realize that there are at least twenty more we have to go through to get to him. All we have is a cripple, a vampire on food strike and a jester out of his mind,” she sighed, but smiled softly at Dawn's enthusiasm.

“We have friends in other guilds. Brynjolf wouldn't hesitate to help us...” she tried but Astrid's expression remained ambivalent.

“They are thieves, not trained assassins. I don't want to have their blood on my hands.”

“But...”

“I'll think about it,” she interrupted, “I'll speak with Nazir and we'll decide what is best, for all of us.”

Dawn nodded silently.

“Now, I didn't come here to exchange strategies,” she went over to the door and closed it, “in fact, I had an entirely different motive.”

Dawn could see in her eyes what she had in mind, and her body got covered in goosebumps as the older woman drew nearer, “what if someone hears us?”

Astrid chuckled lowly as she pushed Dawn up against the tabletop and captured her lips in a deep kiss. The book fell down on the floor, but neither women paid attention to it, “why don't we see this as a test then, hm? Just, demonstrate how stealthy you can be when I'm inside you.”

Dawn moaned when she unbuckled her belt and slipped her hand beneath the layers.

“Tsk-tsk, little dragon,” she teased and kissed her neck, “let's try that again.”

Her finger stroked the slick opening before it slipped inside. Dawn's hips moved against the woman's body and the feeling of Astrid's palm rubbing against her sensitive bundle of nerves almost made another moan escape from her lips. Instead she stole another kiss and Astrid rewarder her with another finger. The bluenette buried her face in the blonde's neck, she buckled her hips back and forth as much as her tight, leather trousers allowed. Her arms clung to the body standing before her, she felt the wondrous crescendo building up inside of her and heard Astrid's staggering breaths, it sent a jolt of pleasure through her. It didn't take long for the skilled fingers to send her over the edge. She couldn't conquer the soft whimpers coming from her throat and Astrid held her trembling body tightly, as if she was afraid Dawn would break if she didn't.

“I think we'll have to practice some more, don't you?” She said huskily.

“Yeah,” Dawn nodded, still catching her breath, “definitely.”

* * *

Dawn knocked twice on the wooden door. She heard a faint grunt and decided to go inside. In the corner, on the bed, Babette's little figure was curled up in a fetus position. She shut the door behind her and walked over to sit down beside her.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” She asked softly and instantly slapped herself mentally, “sorry, that was a stupid question.”

“It's fine,” came a quiet reply.

Dawn drummed her fingers on her knee, looking at the bowl she had brought for the vampire, “I've brought you something.”

“Is it food?”

“Yeah,” she heard her own voice echo in the room, filled with sudden delight.

“Then I don't want it,” Babette said tonelessly, “please leave.”

Dawn said nothing, but didn't move either, “you did nothing wrong, Babette. You didn't kill Gabriella, they did. And what those monsters made you do...It's sickening, and cruel.”

The vampire continued to lay motionless. After a few minutes Dawn stood up to make her way out. She heard a rustle behind her and turned. Babette was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at her with a meager expression.

“What if I told you I enjoyed it? That she wasn't dead when they pushed my face close to her body. I drank her blood when she was alive, I couldn't help myself. I am the monster who killed her! What do you have to say about that?”

Dawn's eyes softened, “I'd say that what you did was mercy.”

Babette looked down at the floor, her legs dangling back an forth, “what's that? In your hand?”

Dawn walked over to the bed and kneeled down, “it's my blood. It's a bit cold, but I want you to have it.”

She looked funnily at the dark red liquid. “I appreciate your gesture, but that will probably make me more hungry than I already am.”

Dawn laughed softly and put the bowl down beside the vampire, “well, I've got dragon inside my blood so I figured this much might get you back on your feet, for a while at least,” she put her hand on Babette's small ones and searched her eyes, “we need you, now more than ever.”

She could see the corner of Babette's mouth twitch and knew that was her cue to leave. She opened the door and threw one last glance at her friend, “I'll see you soon, okay?”

She nodded and Dawn closed the door behind her. Outside she heard muffled yelling coming from above. She rolled her eyes and hurried up the stairs. Just as she'd thought, she found Cicero and Astrid engaged in a heated argument.

“...because I don't trust you.” Astrid leaned on the table, her voice was sharp and unforgiving, “you're hysterical and impulsive.”

“That is not true! Cicero brought the Holy Matron back to her family. Cicero has proven himself worthy!”

“Let me make one thing very clear – this is my family, I choose who’s in it and who’s not, and I didn't ask you to drag a corpse across Skyrim...she has no power here,” she pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance.

Dawn couldn't see Cicero, but she could imagine his face twisting into something very uncomfortable to look at.

“You disrespect the Night Mother, bad things will happen,” he growled.

Astrid scoffed, shaking her head, “you'll do well not to threaten me, fool. I'm not as forgiving as the decomposing body in that stone box.”

Dawn knew that if Astrid continued mocking the jester, he would most likely try to hurt her. She had seen him with a knife, he was fast and unpredictable.

She walked over to Astrid and took her arm, “can we talk?”

The blonde stared at her irritably before she spoke, “we're done here anyway,” she muttered, “my room?”

“Sure, I'll be there in a sec, okay?”

She nodded and went downstairs, giving Cicero a final, vexed glance. When Dawn was sure she had gone out of hearing range she walked over to the little man. He was clenching his fists and his body was shaking. She sat down on the floor and leaned her back against the wall.

“You have to shut up about the Mother, Cicero. It sets everybody's teeth on edge,” she begun and stared bluntly in front of her.

“Cicero don't understand you people. The Night Mother is the only thing worth living for. Why is Cicero the only one who understands that?” He said in a shaky voice, “that woman is cruel, she will never understand.”

“She is many things,” Dawn agreed halfheartedly, “and you two have to get along, it's embarrassing.”

The small man pouted like a child, he crossed his arms and leaned against the coffin, “Cicero will stop when she agrees to take him along.”

Dawn raised an eyebrow, “where?”

Cicero's expression changed suddenly, his lips curled into a wicked smile, “to the purge, yes, the purge of your beloved sanctuary. She told Cicero the Night Mother had spoken to you about taking it back. But she said Cicero couldn't go with you,” he finished the sentence between gritted teeth.

“Oh, for the love of...” Dawn stood and ran a hand through her hair. She gathered her thoughts, took a deep breath and turned to Cicero with the kindest smile she could muster, “I'll talk to her.”

“The Night Mother chose wisely. Our Listener, our leader,” he grinned and licked his lips.

“Don't call me that,” she hissed as she started to walked a way, "just, take it down a notch," she said as a final attempt to make him shut up for for just one second. As she left she could hear him giggle hysterically.

She sighed as she strutted down the stairs. She reached the door to Astrid's chamber and realized her heart was pounding hard against her rib cage. When she slipped inside and found the blonde sitting on the bed. She leaned back on her elbow, crossed her legs and rested her hands on her abdomen. Dawn pulled out a chair and sat down in front of the bed.

“Did you manage to calm our little ferret?” Astrid mocked and bounced her leg a little, “it's funny, you're the only one he listens to.”

Dawn didn't answer, instead she leaned forward and bore her eyes into Astrid's, “why did you lie?”

She rolled her eyes and sat up a little straighter, “you can't be serious? He is not a sane person, I want him as far from this operation as possible. Besides, lying to him makes me happy – adds some color to this depressing situation we're stuck with.”

“I don't care if you lie to Cicero, but you can't tell him the Night Mother has spoken to me about killing people that she definitely hasn't. She is dangerous, Astrid, can't you see that?”

“Oh, you've been having a lot of conversations with her recently, have you?” She sneered, “that corpse doesn't scare me,” there was a slight shift in her voice that made it hard for Dawn to truly believe her.

“I've been avoiding her as much as I can, but it's really hard when you keep arguing with him about it. Every time I get close enough she tries to speak to me, and every time I block her out – for you. But if you enrage her, or Cicero for that matter, bad things will happen.”

Astrid didn't say anything, she didn't even look at Dawn. After a while, she leaned forward and put her hands on Dawn's knees, “I'm sorry, okay? Everything is just so chaotic with her, the fool and...you, as the Listener.”

Dawn looked down at the hands in her lap sighed heavily, “well, I can't do anything about that, and neither can you. Can we just focus on taking down the lousy shits occupying our home?”

Astrid burst out laughing and reached around Dawn's neck to cover her cheek in soft kisses, “how can I argue with someone as clever as you?”

“You can argue all you want, but I'll always be right,” her comeback lured out a soft smile from the blonde, “so, what are we going to do about Cicero?”

Astrid stood up and went over to her wardrobe, “we could just end his miserable life...”

“Astrid, come on.”

“I know, I know,” she said, her voice indifferent as she waved her hands in the air, “Nazir and I have yet to come up with a plan, the jester is the least of our problems.”

“Then leave Cicero to me, I can handle him,” she suggested.

Astrid scoffed and reached down one of the drawers, “oh, dearest, you're almost making me jealous,” she said, sarcastically. She sighed one of those deep, frustrated sighs she conjured when she knew had been defeated, “alright then, you tell him that _if_ he can behave, and by that I mean - _stay out of my sight,_ we'll fit him into our plan once we have one.”

“Thank you,” Dawn stood up, her words thick with optimism.

Astrid raised a finger in the air and Dawn stopped in her tracks, “but, if I detect one fragment of crazy coming from him – I will personally cut him open and feed him to Babette, got it?”

Dawn stood speechless, mouth ajar and eyes wide, “um, sure. You do realize he is insane, right?”

The woman turned around and a malicious grin began to play on her lips, “what's the matter, little dragon? You're not up for this?” She mocked, lips in a delicious pout.

Dawn walked up to her, knowing how much this fed Astrid's sadistic demeanor. She put her hand on her swayback and pressed their bodies together, “I Have been able to handle everything you've thrown my way this far, haven't I?” She said and brushed her lips against the taller woman's jawline.

“Yes, I think you've handled yourself quite well,” she breathed as Dawn made a trail of butterfly kisses down her neck.

“Quite well?” Dawn broke her crusade and looked at the smirking woman, baffled, “I poisoned an emperor!”

The blonde rolled her eyes, “you are wonderful, wild and tremendously skillful...happy?”

She grinned back at the woman, “that wasn't so hard, was it?”

“Yes, yes,” she waved her hand in the air dismissively, “now go, before I turn into one of those depressing people full of love and kindness.”

Dawn turned to leave, with a wide smile on her face.

 


	10. The irresistible torturess

Shadowmere was saddled and ready, his dark mane shone in the yellow autumn sun. Two months had passed, it felt like an eternity. They had managed to clean up their new home, and even though it had been two relatively good months, Dawn had begun to feel frustration building up inside of her. Astrid hadn't said much, not about a plan or if they were going to do something about the dwellers in the pine forest. Astrid had started to accept Cicero being around, or at least stopped talking about strangling him each and every day. Babette had finally become someone resembling her old self, she had started to spend more time with her family - mostly appearing at dinner time, even laughing and talking.

“You're all packed?” Astrid's voice broke through her thoughts.

“Yeah, all done. Where are we headed?” She asked as she scratched the horse between his ears.

Astrid threw her a quick glance and readjusted the straps around the horse's belly. Dawn felt a deep, unwanted frown on her forehead.

“Stop that, you'll get wrinkles before you're thirty.” Astrid teased and helped her up the saddle.

“Well, you are not helping. So, if you're concerned about my youthful face you better throw me a bone here,” she sneered and managed to lure out a sly smirk from the blonde.

“We're going to Riften. Nazir and I decided that we can't do this alone, we need greater numbers and, hopefully, we're not too late.”

“To the Ratway?” She gushed.

Astrid quirked and eyebrow before jumping up behind her, “yes, unless you know something I don't?”

She urged Shadowmere to move forward.

Dawn shook her head, “no, I think they're quite fond of their underground lair.”

“Don't be daft,” Astrid snickered richly, “if they made enough money doing what they're doing, they would leave that piss stained hole without blinking.”

“I don't know, I think that place is rather charming,” she mused out loud.

“Maybe by your standards, I for one prefer my own bed chambers.”

“You're one of the few with private quarters in the Pine Forest,” Dawn grumbled.

“I know, that's why I love that place,” she sighed dreamily.

She laughed at that and leaned back against Astrid's figure. The conversation died, she closed her eyes and listened to the horse's hooves against the wet leaves on the ground. When she opened them again it was dark. Shadowmere strutted tiredly over the graveled road, he puffed and wiggled his head back and forth impatiently.

“You're killing your horse,” she said in a tired voice.

“He'll forgive me,” Astrid steered him into the woods, “We're halfway there, I just need a few hours of rest.”

Dawn silently agreed, she could keep herself busy, “hey, were you speaking to someone earlier? I could've sworn I heard voices.”

“No, dearest. Must have been a dream,” Astrid yawned and kissed her on the head.

They found a spot dry enough to set up a small camp. Dawn gathered wood and fallen leaves and started a fire. She caught a glimpse of Astrid, tucked into her bedroll with a tired smile across her lips. She poked around the wood and felt the warmth hit her face. When she looked back at the blonde her eyes were closed. Dawn rested her eyes on Astrid's face for a few moments and wondered what she was dreaming about. The woman had been through so much, she needed some good news.

A sudden noise disrupted her thoughts as her entire body jerked. She quickly got to her feet and grabbed her bow and quiver. She glanced over at Astrid who was sound asleep and decided to let her be. The sounds came from the road and as she got closer she realized it was voices. Two men were arguing, loudly, but she needed to get closer to make out a what they were saying. The forest was pitch black, as long as she didn't make any sounds they wouldn't notice her. She crept closer and hunched down behind a thick bush.

“...You were supposed to follow them, you halfwit!” One of the men hissed. He was tall and well built, Dawn squinted her eyes and tried to make out the details of his face, but it was too dark.

“I did, but they just went on and on and I got tired,” the shorter man replied in a frantic voice, he sounded young – upper teens was her guess.

The taller man grabbed him by his clothes and lifted him up like he weighed nothing, Dawn reached for an arrow.

“I don't know what went through the High Wolf's mind when he sent a prospect, but you better find those two harlots and report back within two days,” he tossed the kid whom fell down hard on the ground. Dawn quickly placed the arrow on the bow, aimed at the man and let go. It had been a perfect shot, but somehow he had managed to dodge it. Both men turned their attention to where she was hiding. The tall man's eyes glowed yellowy and she'd already started regretting her heroic move. He went down on all fours and let out an ear piercing howl that almost made Dawn fall backwards. The kid sprung to his feet and began to run in the opposite direction. She saw the man's bones move and grow under his skin. He roared one last time before his human flesh gave way and broke apart. He transformed before her eyes, into a hideous beast unlike any she had seen before. A werewolf, but bigger and completely malformed. Dawn stopped breathing and covered her mouth and nose with her hand. She narrowed her eyes and felt the world slow down around her. Her hands drew the arrow in the bow and she quickly fired without aiming properly. The arrow hit him and he plunged to the ground. Dawn didn't take any chances and ran back as fast as she could. When she finally reached the camp the cold midnight air stung in her lungs. She shook Astrid's body until her eyes shot up, confusion reflecting in her tired orbs.

“We have to go, now!” She urged and stumbled over to the horse, he had already begun to understand something was happening and made agitated movements with his head.

“What the hell, Dawn?” Astrid breathed and stood up to gather her belongings. A loud howl made them both freeze before she looked over at Dawn with growing anger, “what have you done now?”

Dawn neglected her sloppy miscall and made a swift jump up on the horse's back, “there's no time, get on the damn horse!” She yelled and reached out an arm for the blonde to take.

They took off further into the woods in the opposite direction of the road. There were no tracks for them to follow and the blackness swallowed their surroundings as they got deeper. She could hear the beast gaining up on them and prayed to Sithis that Shadowmere wouldn't throw them off his back. Dawn threw a glance over Astrid's shoulder and saw the bushes bend a few feet behind them. She quickly handed Astrid the reins and struggled to reach her bow and put the arrow in place.

“This is not how I like to spend my nights!” The woman shouted as Dawn turned her body and practically straddled her companion.

“Eyes on the horse, I'll handle it!” Dawn replied as equally loud and aimed at his large, moving frame. The arrow hit him square in the chest and he disappeared with a agonized yowl, “keep going until we find the road!”

“I intend to, and I'm also insanely furious with you!”

As the massive adrenaline rush kicked in, Dawn could feel her breath quicken and the blood burn within her veins. Her arms clung to the other woman as they found the road and slowed down. When Dawn slid off the horse, the feeling of triumph had turned into worry. She was scared of what she had heard, of what would've happened if they hadn't made it, but also of what would happen next. Astrid's feet landed heavily on the ground, she took the horse by the bridle and started walking. Dawn crossed her arms tightly against her chest and followed them but kept her distance. Never had she seen Astrid look as enraged as she did in that moment, at least not towards her. She looked up and saw little lights in the distance. There were lamp posts, small huts and a house, perhaps and inn – a sign of life and other people. A flutter of hope erupted in her chest but, soon enough, it died when she realized Astrid had no intention of stopping. Dawn kept silent and missed the warm light as darkness once again swallowed them.

* * *

The gates of Riften opened heavily and the all too familiar city welcomed them with its foul smell and grumpy settlers. Dawn waited, patiently, by the entrance as Astrid hitched her horse by the stables. They hadn't talked, she hadn't even looked in Dawn's direction since that night and it had been excruciating. Deep down, she wanted her to yell at her, slap her across the face – anything but the silent treatment. She hoped that Vex wouldn't be out on a raid when she so desperately needed a friend to talk to. Astrid being angry with her was the worst feeling she'd ever experienced, and she had been on the verge of dying.

The blonde went past her and handed her a bag as she did. She rolled her eyes and hurried after her on tired legs. She almost protested when Astrid didn't take the stairs down to the Ratway but continued to the graveyard where only the most committed members of the guild could enter. An unforgiving feeling of nervousness washed over her when the blonde pushed the button and the fake grave opened before them. They headed down the stone steps, Dawn pulled the chain and the stone slid back in place with a hard, scraping sound. Astrid opened the hatch and climbed down, followed by the bluenette.

“By the gods, Dawn!” She heard a well known, female voice to her right. Seconds after she turned she was captured in a tight hug that almost made her fall back. She buried her face in silver blonde hair and could almost feel tears sting in her eyes. Dawn swallowed hard and pushed her emotions as far away as possible.

“Oh, Vex. It's good to see you,” she said and got quite taken aback on how raspy her voice was. A bizarre feeling came to her when she realized she hadn't spoken a word since the incident – and two days had passed. She cleared her throat and beamed at her friend, Vex's eyes twinkled in the faint light inside the cistern.

“You must be famished. Come, I'll buy us some dinner,” she took Dawn's hand and dragged her across the circle formed room. Dawn looked around and saw Astrid disappear with Delvin and Brynjolf through one of the doors on the opposite side of the great hall. Her body weakened as a new wave of dejection and insecurity washed over her. She thought Astrid had brought her to be there and advice her on any decision making. Now, she pushed her away, and also because Brynjolf hand't taken the time to greet her, that stung a bit too.

“Hey, you wouldn't wanna be in there anyway, endless debating about the pros and cons for this merge,” she opened the door that led to the Flagon, “I assure you my company is a thousand times more enjoyable.”

Dawn felt her lips bend into a smile, “yeah, I suppose you're right,” she agreed and closed the door behind them.

The Flagon was next to empty, save for Vekel the man who stood behind the bar and polished a copper mead cup diligently. Dawn wondered where everybody had gone, used to be hard to even find a place to sit in there, now the room just seemed hollow and depressing. Vekel gave the pair a respectful nod as they approached the counter.

“Vex, glad to see you safe. Heard about your last adventure looting the Black Briar Lodge, how's the shoulder?”

Vex shrugged and made a painful grimace, “still hurts to make my favourite gesture, other than that I'm fine. Even got enough gold to buy myself new boots – gold well spent,” she winked at Dawn whom snickered as her eyes fell upon the luxurious black leather and silver plated footwear on her friend's feet.

“Couldn't agree more,” she nodded as she let her bag fall down to the ground.

Vekel's eyes fell upon Dawn and she could see him struggling as he tried to come up with something to say, “so, how goes things over at the murder house?” He shamelessly blurted out.

“Vekel!” Vex shot back before turning to Dawn with an apologetic expression, “ignore him, he's not very fond of...”

“A group of people getting paid to slit throats of hard working farmers, emperors and what not. No, Vex, I'm not very _fond_ of that at all,” he interrupted and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I'm sure you're content with your choice of career, Mr. Bartender,” Dawn calmly replied, “admirable work, really.”

Vekel snorted and slammed two mutton pies up on the counter, “this is what's on the menu for tonight,” he muttered and poured mead into two of the polished cups.

Vex grabbed the two plates, tossed a few coins on the counter and gave Vekel a nod before she went for the table furthest away from the bar. Dawn took her bag, grabbed the cups and followed, with an irritating throbbing by her temple. She sat down by the table and exhaled. Vex's eyes burned on her skin as she grabbed the cutlery and violently showed a large piece of pie in her mouth.

“Vekel is an ass. He has his moments, sure, but he's mostly an ass,” she said quietly and reached for her own knife and fork, “you shouldn't overthink anything that comes out of his gob.”

Dawn swallowed the all too large piece and felt it burn down her throat, “I don't, and in a way he's right, I suppose,” she confessed.

Vex kept silent for a moment before she spoke, “I thought you loved it there, and from what I've heard you've done quite impressive work. Not many people would manage to kill an Emperor and live to tell the tale.”

The strange compliment ran of Dawn like dry sand, “I did love it, for the past months I have lived more than I could ever have dreamed of,” she shifted in her seat and pushed the half eaten dish to the side, “but it's not the same anymore.”

“I get that, I do. That husband of hers is out on thin ice, but it can be fixed,” she reached out and put a warm hand over Dawn's, “he will pay for what he did, they all will.”

Thoughts raced inside Dawn's mind, “I don't care about him,” she heard herself say, “I don't want any of this. I'm happy in Dawnstar, we've built a new life there, and I'm not sure I want to give that up. I don't feel as committed to this as the rest. You should see us now, we're a small, dysfunctional family and we haven't carried out a contract in months. But, I want things to stay the way they are.”

Dawn looked up at Vex, who seemed utterly shocked by her confession. Then, her expression softened as she rested her chin in her palm, “wow, you must really love her.”

Dawn nodded, staring at the table, “I do, and it's terrifying. Retaliation is the only thing she talks about, she makes plans, throws them away and make new ones. I think she's losing it,” Dawn's eyes once again met Vex's, “we've all lost people, but my gut tells me that if we decide to go trough with whatever plan she has cooked up, we will lose.”

“You know, when Brynjolf told me that we might fight side by side with you to win back your home, I said that there's no way I'll be risking my ass for another guild that hasn't done anything for us and probably never would, and you know what he said?”  
  
The bluenette shook her head no and stared at her own fidgeting fingers atop the table.

“What if it was this place? What if someone decided to raid our home that we've worked so hard to build all these years, kill our members, our friends and loved ones. That made me boil with anger, so in a way I can fathom Astrid's grief.”

Dawn sighed and finished her mead, “you're right, I'm being selfish.”

“Which is a totally normal thing to be in these situations. Listen, we will give those sons of bitches a housewarming party they'll never forget, and we will get out of there alive and kicking, okay?”

Vekel came over and put down a pitcher of mead on the table, Dawn liked to think it was some sort of piece offering, but he left before she could thank him. Vex refilled their cups and raised hers in the air.

“To our notorious alliance, and the victory shining bright in the horizon,” they raised their glasses in the air.

“To us.”

* * *

Hours went by without any sign of life from the leaders and both Dawn and Vex had grown weary of waiting. Vex had shown her their room, Brynjolf had given them his quarters for the night. Dawn felt on edge as she begun to understand that they would have to talk eventually. Astrid would freak when she told her about Arnbjorn's potential spies and would most likely yell at her for keeping that information. But it was partly her own fault for not talking to Dawn the last couple of days.

Afternoon turned into evening and the pair had decided to go out for some fresh air. Vex had told her she could lend her something fancier than her 'absurd murder costume', her words, as they would have a feast later that night. As they walked around the small town Dawn decided to tell Vex all about the men in the woods, that Astrid couldn't even look at her for some reason and the chaos with The Night Mother and Cicero. How she could hear her talk and that it had been a big gulp for Astrid to swallow. Vex agreed that the dead matriarch sounded like a conservative way of living, but also that ancient powers was nothing to tamper with. Dawn started to detect some part of herself coming back, and she silently thanked Vex for being there for her. Then, she slapped herself when she realized they had done nothing but talk about herself and apologized.

They walked around in the shadier parts of Riften, Vex promised they could speak freely since no one ever went there, save for the guild members along with other dubious members of society. They went into an inn for a drink and as they sat down Vex told her about her potential lover – Aela the huntress. Dawn had smiled, she knew exactly who she was, she had spent a short period of time with The Companions, the woman had trained her. She was untamed and independent, a perfect match for her friend. Vex told her that they'd met by accident as the two guilds had been double booked on a raid. The Companions had been there to brawl for justice and the thieves, well, they were after a large ransom.

“...and then it just kind of happened,” she said with a goofy smile.

Dawn brought the cup up to her lips, “well, I'm happy for you.”

“Really? Not even a tiny bit jealous?” She reached over the table and hit Dawn on the shoulder, a little too hard, and immediately rubbed the sore spot ruefully, “since you were obviously hooked on someone else I had to improvise.”

“I think you're better off with her, actually,” Dawn declared and raised an eyebrow.

Vex had laughed at that, but stopped abruptly and looked over Dawn's shoulder. She turned around and saw Astrid entering the inn.

“We're done,” her deep voice vibrated in the air as she reached their table.

Vex stood up and patted Dawn on the shoulder, “see you girls at the Flagon,” she said before quickly taking off.

Dawn stood up slowly, Astrid's eyes stared intensely into hers, it made her feel so very small.

“I think we should talk,” the younger woman said in a tentative voice as the tension grew between them.

“We certainly should, but I'm afraid it'll have to wait,” she answered and turned to leave. Dawn hesitated at first as she saw the woman disappear out the door before dashing outside and grab her by the arm. Astrid turned and stood tall above the younger woman, her face masked with anger, “what part of that did you not understand?”

“No, you shut up and listen to me,” Dawn hissed and could see the utter surprise in Astrid's eyes, “I don't know why you've decided to shut me out after I practically saved your life, but it's not fair! I didn't wander off in the middle of the night because I wanted to find trouble. Arnbjorn's spies are following us! That beast was a man, he turned into that-that thing right in front of me, and...” everything had come out in one breath and left her gasping for air, still clutching Astrid's arm.

“I know that,” Astrid removed Dawn's hand, “I know all about it because I had it under control. The little, teenage imbecile has been scouting around the sanctuary for weeks, I had a plan to get rid of him. That _beast_ works for Arnbjorn, but I managed to persuade him to work for me, he cost us a formidable amount of coin. Your little stunt certainly belayed our arrangement.”

Dawn blinked, confused and sad that it was just another situation where Astrid chose to withhold information from her, “how the hell was I supposed to know?”

Astrid sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, “you weren't.”

Dawn backed away as disappointed filled her body and left a bitter taste in her mouth, “this is because I'm The Listener, isn't it? You don't want to tell me anything so you lure me into babysit Cicero whilst you and Nazir make plans!” She cried out hopelessly at the older woman.

Astrid's jaw clenched behind her pale skin, “if I remember correctly, you offered to handle your precious little jester, that wasn't my idea. I am doing my best to protect all of you, especially you,” her firm stare wavered and unveiled a sign of ambivalence in her eyes, ”your mind is an open book for that old relic, but everything will be alright, we're getting rid of her,” she said and Dawn shook her head, trying to process what she'd just heard.

“What do you mean by that?” She suddenly felt a solid stab of dread cut through her entire being.

Astrid's chest moved heavily with each breath, the faint light cast dark shadows on her sharp face.

“Brynjolf demands some kind of reassurance that we will honor our part of the deal. The thieves will fight side by side with us if...” she hesitated before making eye contact, “if we give them The Night Mother.”

Dawn's jaw dropped and she could swear it almost hit the ground, “what?!”

“It is done. We have been keeping in touch the last few weeks, and I knew there was a possibility they would ask for something like this. Nazir and I went over it a couple of times and decided that if it would come to that, we would settle.” She sighed as her expression softened.

“I can't believe this. When did you plan on telling me?” Astrid made a move to walk up to her but she pushed her away and took a step back, “were you going to tell me at all?”

“Dawn, please,” She pleaded, her voice soft as silk, “I didn't want to keep these things from you, I just...it felt like I didn't have a choice.”

The girl scoffed in disbelief, “oh, and that's supposed to make this okay?” Her body ached as she pushed Astrid away once again. She needed her to listen, if only to prove a point, “don't cut me out of the equation, you're not making decisions just for yourself anymore.”

“Well, I don't know what to say,” she ran her hands through thick, blonde hair and sighed heavily, “they're picking her up as we speak, and that's that.”

Dawn's disappointment turned into anger as she put two and two together, “and that's why you brought me along, to keep me from putting a spoke in your wheel. You seem to forget how dangerous _she_ is.”

Astrid's gaze darkened again, her lips became a thin line as her eyes pierced Dawn's blue orbs, “and you seem to forget who we really serve – why don't you take some time to figure out where your loyalties lie, Listener,” she hissed, her words hurt the younger woman and left her speechless. She clenched her jaw so hard her teeth began to hurt. Astrid frowned deeply and turned to walk away, "I think we're done here," she said flatly and left Dawn without looking back.

* * *

Brynjolf's bed was worn out and uncomfortable. The hay stuffed mattress itched on her half naked torso as she tossed and turned. The guild had started to prepare for the feast when she had gotten back, but she had avoided everyone as her eyes had been puffy and red from crying. She had made an attempt to get some sleep before the event but it was useless. It was hard to get Astrid's final words out of her head, she kept hearing them over and over. After all they had been through, how could she even think such a thing? Dawn would never doubt her leadership, but it seemed hard to get her point into the woman's head. The woman knew little about the thing in the coffin – Dawn even less. The difference was that Dawn could sense her power, and it was terrifying. She doubted that the Night Mother could physically harm Astrid, or anyone else - but she could definitely manipulate someone else to do it, and Dawn was the only one who she could forward her personal affairs to. Or even worse, she could just reassign the title to someone more devoted and willing to do anything she asked, like Cicero. She could only speculate. But nevertheless, giving her to the Thieves Guild, if only temporarily, could definitely trigger something unexpected.

There was a knock at the door and a cold knot tightened in her stomach. She walked over to the entrance slowly and tried to come up with something to say to the person on the other side. When she opened she was both surprised and a little crestfallen that the blonde wasn't standing behind the door. It was Brynjolf, he smiled warmly down at her, and she just then realized she only wore her trousers and a thin, linen bra to cover her torso. She quickly pushed the door ajar and slid her face into the gap. The man let out a heartfelt chuckle before he spoke.

“Don't worry lass, my ogling days are far behind me. May I come in?”

“Sure, just...just give me a minute!” She reached for a black, short tunic that lay on the floor and quickly pulled it over her head. Brynjolf entered and pulled her into a tight embrace.

“I didn't want to disturb you, lass. Thought you were busy getting ready for tonight, guess I was mistaken,” he smirked and raised an eyebrow at her.

Dawn glanced over at the mirror and nodded in agreement, she looked like she had been to the void and back, “to be honest, I'm not really in the mood for a feast,” she dropped down heavily on the bed, “what are we celebrating anyway?” She moaned and sprawled out.

Brynjolf sat down next to her, he's usually warm exterior reflected something new – sorrow, perhaps, “look lass, we don't know how many days we have left in this life. But the Guild is ready to do their part, are you?”

Dawn scoffed, “I don't know why everyone is questioning my reliability today, and why would you put your people in danger for something that is clearly only Dark Brotherhood business?”

“That's where you're wrong, those people are a great threat to us all,” his tone hardened as he rested his elbows on his knees and stared vacantly across the room, “they've taken our people too. Seducing them to whatever bollocks their cult assimilates, even the Companions has had their fair share of losses. That's why we need to stick together, at least until they've been taken care of.”

Dawn had slowly raised herself into a sitting position. She put a soothing hand on the man's shoulder, “I'm sorry, I had no idea,” she said and felt her heart drop. Now she understood why the halls had been so very empty.

“No need to apologize, little lady. As I understand, your Mistress hasn't been very generous with handing you information about your cause, and I told Vex not to talk about it,” there it was again, that warm, fatherly smile that made her feel safe.

“She tell you that, Astrid I mean?”

“Didn't have to, I've studied people long enough to know when there's a conflict going on deep inside of them. The problem with Astrid is that she thinks she's so collected, she can't even see when she steps in her own piss.”

Dawn laughed softly at his choice of words, “yeah, I suppose that sums her up pretty well.”

“Speaking of which, she just got back and shoved this into my hands,” he handed her a package, it was big and quite soft, “ah, and Vex wanted me to give you this as well.”

“Oh, I forgot she had something for me to wear tonight instead of...”

“...your murder costume, yes, she said that,” he smiled, “and also I have something for you, here,” he gave her a journal before standing up, “when you have some spare time, read it. Maybe then you'll understand that your people and mine aren't so different after all.”

She looked at the leather bound journal in her hands and felt an uneasy twitch shoot through her body, “wait, who did this belong to?”

Brynjolf, who had already made it to the door, turned around and studied her for a moment, “I'll see you in an hour, lass,” he said and disappeared.

Dawn sighed heavily. Trembling hands untied the knot keeping the folder closed, when she saw the black ink on the first page she had trouble taking the words in. It read:  _“The Lucky Old Lad -A Chronicle of The Night Mother.”_

 


	11. The merge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is as far as I've come, for now. Hope you who have read this far like it! Post some feedback, it really helps me getting better. Enjoy!:)

Dawn hadn't moved an inch since Brynjolf left her with the thin folder of carefully selected anecdotes. Nothing made much sense, the pages had obviously been ripped out of context, but it was clear that the Brotherhood's Night Mother hadn't always played for their league. She had ties with the Guild long before the Brotherhood this world know even existed. However, her way of handling the jobs didn't go well with the thieves, thus resulted in a conflict, and if Dawn had interpreted the content correctly – she had been cast out. The Dark Brotherhood was born, and now the two groups traded dark forces around like kids with pockets full of marbles.

The door opened and gave her a start, “you're not even dressed yet?” Vex groaned and slipped inside, “everyone's already out there mingling.”

Dawn slid the journal under her pillow, “sorry, I must have lost track of time.”

“Less talking, more stripping!” Vex urged and made frantic gestures with her hands, “I brought boots.”

“I've got boots,” she objected and pointed to her feet.

Vex stared at her in disapproval, “yeah, well, these won't make you look like a pregnant woman with swollen ankles.”

She huffed in response, “give me those,” Dawn snatched the pair from the blonde's hand.

Vex walked over to the bed and picked up the package by the foot end, the bundle rustled as she squeezed it firmly, “is this an attempt to bury the hatchet?” She asked and waved it in Dawn's direction, “what do you suppose it is?”

Dawn shrugged indifferently, “probably something she wants me to wear tonight.”

“Oooh,” Vex lay down on the bed and put a finger between her lips, “lingerie, the ultimate white flag,” she purred.

“A bit thick to be undergarments, don't you think?” She murmured and smirked to her friend through the mirror as she battled her untamed hair, “go on then, open it. I don't mind,” she tried to sound blasé about it, but she couldn't deny that the brown package made her a little curious. Moments later, Vex had ripped the delicate paper to pieces and tossed it on the floor. She stood and held up leather armor in two pieces, much like the one Dawn already had, but black as the deepest night. The chest was decorated with the hand of the brotherhood in blood red.

“This looks rather expensive,” Vex gasped and let her hand travel over the rough material.

“I'm sure it does,” Dawn answered and pulled the black, silk dress she'd borrowed from Vex over her head. It fell over her body and she was surprised over how heavy it felt.

“Sooo, I take it you'll go with the dress?”

The bluenette pulled the laces and tightened the dress around her figure. Her breasts pushed together and formed a prominent cleavage, even her own eyes marveled at the sight. She heard Vex whistle behind her back.

“Put the armor in a drawer,” Dawn said in a low voice, eyes still fixed upon her own reflection.

* * *

For being a guild where the numbers decreased rapidly they had managed to fill up the Flagon quite impressively. Dawn's eyes peered over the room as Vex dragged her over to a corner overlooking the bar space. Dawn let her hands smooth the dress over her body fervently, the feeling of being overdressed washed over her, everyone else wore their armor or just something casual that one could spill red wine all over without raising an eyebrow.

“You look stunning,” Vex whispered from behind her and grabbed her wrists, “stop fussing.”

“I should change, really Vex, I feel weird,” she mumbled and tried to get out of the blonde's grip.

“No, no. Not so fast, young lady, someone's got their eyes on you.”

Dawn froze and let her eyes travel over the area. She saw Brynjolf talking to Delvin, and behind them Sapphire downed a jug of mead as two other members cheered her on. There, by the bar, Astrid leaned against the wooden counter, her eyes set on the girl with the black, silk dress. The air around her became unbearably thick and her breath got caught in her throat. It felt as if she saw the woman for the first time. She was wearing the same kind of armor she'd given Dawn. The contrast of her blonde hair resting upon the black leather gave her an alluring glow no one else in the room could match.

“Friends!” Brynjolf's deep voice echoed through the crowded hall and broke her trance, “settle down, people!” He waited a few moments, Dawn's eyes followed Astrid as she walked over to his side, “now then, I'm sure some of you are wondering about the commotion that's been circling around our usually calm home for the past couple of weeks,” a few laughs as well as a humming in agreement swept over the crowd, Brynjolf crossed his arms and nodded toward his henchmen, “you have the right to be wondering, to be confounded or even angry with what I'm about to tell you.”

Dawn felt nervous, guilty even.

“A foul disease has taken over this land, _our_ land,” he started, rather dramatically, “you've noticed a decrease in our numbers, and I'm afraid it's true that even our guild is affected by the Wolves. Our guild has suffered, our friends, brothers and sisters has been snatched right under our noses. Some of them are still alive, mislead by rotten men cowering behind beast hood and dark magic. We've found both old members and new recruits left maimed at our doorstep. We will not forget them, brave men and women who died with the courage to stay loyal to their family,” Brynjolf raised his cup in the air, as did everyone else. They had a moment of silence for their lost ones. Dawn still felt strange and took a gulp out of the cup that Vex offered her. Brynjolf continued, his voice laced with gloom: “but as great as our sorrow is, we still grow. Our guild remains stronger than ever, which is why I can't imagine the devastating loss our friends to the north has suffered. Astrid, if you will,” he took a step back and Astrid stepped forward, nodding respectfully at the other leader. She stood silent for a moment, at first glance one could think she was collecting herself, but Dawn knew the woman was in total control.

“Twenty years ago I accepted the title of leader in The Dark Brotherhood. I was young, younger than many of you here tonight, but I was equally as passionate about my family then as I am standing before you here tonight,” her eyes wandered over the quiet crowd. Everyone seemed smitten by her words, her voice. Dawn's heart fluttered as green eyes briefly caught her own before Astrid continued with her narrative: “a few months back my husband, Arnbjorn, put our sanctuary in Falkreath under siege. He wasn't alone, he had help on the inside and by now he has extended his group massively, and trust me when I say - these people, are no amateurs.”

“How come he let you live?” A voice came from the crowd, a woman. Dawn couldn't see her, let alone recognize her voice, “wouldn't his first move be to take out the current leader?”

Astrid's eyes went from the mumbling audience and over to Dawn. She crossed her arms and sighed, “I was out on business at the time, that's when he decided to strike.”

“And why did you come to us for help?” The woman stood up and looked around the hall, “we are common thieves, not fighters with bright, shiny swords, and we're definitely not assassins. Surely, the Companions are better fit to help you win against a band of beasts!”

She was getting so worked up by her own words spit flew out of her mouth like heavy rain. The crowd raised their fists and yelled in her favor. Dawn's heart raced, she was unsheltered and scared that the group of thugs would riot against them. Brynjolf slammed his fist hard against the closest wooden table, “let the woman speak!” He roared with such force Dawn could swear a shock wave pushed through the Flagon.

Astrid didn't look bothered about the sudden uproar and continued as calm as ever, “yes, _beasts_ , funny you should mention that. Since about ninety nine percent of the Companions are werewolves the risk of them already being in alliance with the threat is, well, quite high I would say,” she said and folded her hands in front of her, "wouldn't you agree?"

Dawn saw the satisfaction in Astrid's eyes as the woman sat down without a word, it made her own lips quirk into a smile.

“You okay?” Vex whispered and put a hand on her shoulder.

“I'm terrific, give me the cup,” she exhaled and grabbed the drink from Vex's hand. She downed it in one big gulp and shivered as the taste of alcohol filled her mouth. Brynjolf seemed to wrap up the meeting so people could start mingling, drinking, brawling, or whatever they felt like doing. In that moment they just seemed to be sitting on the edge of their seats, trying to understand the inevitable - they were going to war. Dawn could feel Astrid's eyes on her again, as her gaze drifted over to her the blonde was looking at her fondly. The anger burning a hole in her chest started to convert into a nervous flutter. Suddenly, people stood up, chairs scraped against stone floor and it stung in her ears. Vex tapped her on the shoulder and said something about refills before disappearing into the mass of people. Dawn wanted to protest but was too late. She stood as if glued to the spot and smiled awkwardly at people squeezing past her. Just as she was about to leave the thickening crowd a generously filled cup appeared in front of her. She took it and looked up, not expecting the person in front of her to be anyone other than Vex.

“Wrong blonde?” Astrid smirked and put her own cup to her lips. She swallowed and licked her lips, her eyes traveled down Dawn's figure, It made her shiver, as if those eyes made a path in her skin she could physically feel, “did you get my gift?”

“I did,” she said, trying her best to sound indifferent.

“You didn't like it?” Astrid's eyebrow arched perfectly over her right eye.

“I had other plans,” she replied and the blonde searched her face, she desperately avoided eye contact. When she felt a leather clad hand against her arm, heavy and warm, it was as if her heart could burst out of her chest at any moment, “I-uh...I should go and see if Vex needs...”

“We should go somewhere private,” Astrid cut in, her hand now closed around Dawn's upper arm.

Her breath got caught in her throat, “why?”

Astrid leaned in and brushed blue hair from her ear, “I want to talk," she said softly, "and, I want to listen.”

She sounded sincere. Dawn considered her words for a moment before she nodded and followed her through the hall. Once they were free from the pressing bodies around them Astrid went for Brynjolf's room. Dawn took her arm before she'd reached the door. The blonde turned around, confounded.

“Maybe we should go somewhere else, this seems like a place we could be disturbed.”

The older woman regarded her for a moment, a smirk playing on her lips as she did. Dawn damned herself for completely drowning in Astrid's demeanor and tried to remember that she was, in fact, upset with her. The girl nodded towards the exit leading to the Ratway and started to push through the crowd. She wasn't even sure Astrid had followed her until she felt hands on her waist, leading her steadily through the ocean of bodies. Even though the rotting stench in the Ratway was somewhat overwhelming, Dawn felt as if she could breathe again when Astrid closed the door tightly behind them. The muffled sounds of people on the other side awoke another feeling inside of her, she felt bare and vulnerable. There we're no excuses left. There were only the two of them, and a long list of things to say hanging in the air.

“That inn might still be open, we could go there,” Dawn suggested.

Astrid inclined her head and gestured with her arms, “after you.”

Outside it was quiet, and cold. Dawn felt the dress sway in the wind, the thin fabric was almost intolerable against her prickly skin. She cursed Vex for lending her clothes that wasn't practical at all – although it wasn't Vex's fault, it was just easier to blame her own stubbornness on someone who wasn't there. Her inner battle ceased as soon as the handle to the inn rotated in her hand and gave a satisfying 'click' before she could push the door open. The place was next to empty, a worn out innkeeper looked at the two women as they entered - his eyes were on the verge of closing.

“Why don't you find us a seat, I'll get drinks,” her hand was on Dawn's back, it went down the length of her spine like water as they separated. She scouted the area, there were just a couple of drunk men sitting at the table in the middle of the rectangular shaped room. There was a lonely table in one of the corners that'd have to do. When she sat down the thin fabric made itself reminded against the cold wood. She tried to smooth the dress so it covered both her thighs, but the long cut on each side made it impossible. Dawn reminded herself that no matter how much she wanted it to be the case, her frustration wasn't rooted in the dress. Two large cups of ale dropped down in front of her and gave her a start. Astrid sat down next to her and put her gloves down on the table. Then she sighed heavily, Dawn waited for her to talk.

“I've treated you, well, horribly would be an understatement. I-I haven't been feeling like myself in months," she toyed with her fingers on the table, "but that doesn't excuse my behavior.”

Dawn shifted in her seat, she had a feeling Astrid wasn't finished.

“I have no reason to believe you would ever betray me, and yet I chose you keep you in the shadows. You don't deserve that. I had no right to react the way I did, you acted on your instinct to,- to save me. You care more than anyone, and I'm so proud of what you have achieved. And by Sithis, if I have to spend the rest of my life to undo my mistakes, I will.”

Dawn stared vacantly at the foam atop her ale as she absorbed Astrid's words. The woman waited patiently for her to speak - her mind was racing.

“You hurt me, I never thought you would, but you did. And I have tried to hate you for it, I probably did, for a little while. You have lied to me, pushed me away – and not for the first time, Astrid,” she heard her own voice strengthen by her anger. She faced the blonde and saw a flicker of fear in her eyes, “so, I tried to make you into a person that I hate,” she turned her focus back to the beverage and dipped her finger in the foam, “but I can't.”

Astrid took her hand and searched for her eyes. She looked sorrowful, although, she did a good job hiding it with a gentle smile on her lips.

“Did you know that the Night Mother used to be a member of the Thieves Guild?” Dawn asked, carefully. She already knew the answer to that and when Astrid sighed she also understood that this was a topic the blonde didn't enjoy speaking of.

“Yes, but I'm very skeptic about the amount of truth put in that journal. I suppose Brynjolf gave it to you?” She glanced over at Dawn, who suddenly felt guilty for some reason.

“He did, I thought maybe you had something to do with it. That you wanted me to know that it will be alright because, well, she's finally home.”

Astrid took her hands and locked their eyes with an intense stare, “she is dead, and as far as I know corpses stuck forever in a coffin can't kill anybody.”

“I'm not stupid. I know she can't psychically harm anyone,” she grunted.

“But you think that as long as you're the only one who can hear her I'm safe, but if she chooses someone else-”

“Yes, and I can't stand that thought. How can you not see the problem here?” She felt herself getting agitated again.

The silence that followed was merciless. Dawn shifted uncomfortably in her seat, she heard Astrid take a deep breath after a long moment of thought.

“You have friends here, if you want to spend some time apart I will not moan and grumble, at least not aloud.”

“I'm sure you wouldn't, but I think I'm ready to go home, with you,” the sudden change of topic didn't feel too good, but Dawn decided she just had to trust Astrid – at least with this.

Astrid smiled and brought Dawn's hand to her lips, she let her mouth linger a bit over the soft skin before putting her cheek against her palm. She let Dawn's hand travel down her side until it ended by her hips as she edged closer. Astrid's breath was warm on her face, her hand felt pleasant on the back of her neck.

“We should get back to the others,” Astrid whispered, her voice sultry and low.

“Really?” Dawn breathed. A barely audible whimper fled her lips as Astrid's hand traveled under the thin fabric covering her thigh.

“Well, if you didn't have anything else in mind?” She smiled against her face, surely appreciating the way Dawn's legs opened at her touch.

Dawn surprised herself by the sensation of wetness smeared on her thighs as she rubbed them together in anticipation. She was just about to close the distance between them when her eyes traveled over the room, she caught the barman fully engaged in watching them have their private moment in a public space. She quickly straightened her posture and caught Astrid's confused stare. She nodded toward the bar and the older woman started chuckling lavishly. Dawn herself could only bow her head in shame as her cheeks flared up.

“You're absolutely right, we should leave,” she agreed and put her gloves on. Dawn slid out of the seat and went for the door. As she looked over her shoulder Astrid had walked up to the bar and Dawn thought she would terrorize him to Oblivion and back.

She handed him a few gold coins. The man looked as if he could soil his pants any second, “hope we didn't cause too much of a distraction,” she said and patted him on the shoulder. Then she turned and made her way over to where Dawn stood, astounded.

“I thought you were going to kill him,” she said in a surprised voice.

Astrid put a hand on the small of her back as she opened the door, “trying to be pragmatic,” she said and grabbed the golden Dibella statue standing on a table by the door before closing it shut.

* * *

They came back to a bunch of drunk guild members that were either brawling, vomiting all over the place or practically having sex right on the bar counter. With next to zero alcohol left in her blood stream, Dawn felt that what she saw before her looked like an poorly executed play. She glanced over at Astrid, who seemed to be thinking exactly the same.

“I don't know about you, but I'd rather take my chances going straight to bed than engaging in this puke covered orgy,” Astrid frowned and waved with the statue in her hand.

“That sounds...” Dawn had to pause and take a shallow breath as the smell of human discharge reached her, “great...that sounds great, let's hurry!” She pushed a chuckling Astrid in front of her with one hand as the other covered her nose and mouth.

Only when the door to Brynjolf's room closed behind them could she breathe like normal again. She inhaled deeply and the semi fresh air stung in her starving lungs.

“That was, by far, the worst odor I've ever encountered. And I've spent seven days on a shipwreck with sailors decaying in the sun,” Astrid exhaled as she walked over to the bed and sat down.

“Really? You never told me that story,” Dawn followed and stopped in front of her. Astrid flicked her head and the hair resting on her shoulder fell down her back as she looked up at the bluenette.

“Well, would you like to hear it?” Her fingers went over Dawn's abdomen. When she got to the laces by her chest she tugged it and the dress came loose around her body.

Dawn raised an eyebrow at the smirking blonde, “I don't wanna talk right now.”

Astrid pulled her closer, “the feeling is mutual,” She murmured as she let Dawn straddle her.

They way Astrid's hands ripped the dress off her shoulders made it clear she had grown just as weary of fighting as Dawn. Even though they both knew there was so much more to say – it was tiring, and sleeping together seemed a lot more tempting than arguing. Astrid knew exactly what to do and Dawn had learned to follow her commands. Dawn loved the way Astrid looked at her when she undressed – as if it was the first time she saw her bare skin and unveiled curves. She loved the way Astrid's hands knew exactly where to touch to make her lose control. She loved how their bodies fit perfectly together, like two pieces of a puzzle. Astrid's deep moans of pleasure as she brought Dawn over the edge – she loved them too.

As they lay entwined in bed, sweaty and exhausted, Astrid kissed her gently on her temple and whispered sweet things in her ear. Dawn put her face by the curve of her neck and inhaled her scent – thinking that all the bad things had been washed away.

 


	12. Broken bonds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long! Hope you like it!

Dawn woke up to a rustling sound. With her eyes closed she searched the bed with one hand for Astrid. She opened her eyelids slowly and blinked a few times to clear her vision. Her commander stood with her back towards her, adjusting the armor around her waist. She hadn't noticed Dawn who now slowly moved into a sitting position.

“Morning,” she announced herself and the blonde threw her a glance over her shoulder. They smiled at one another.

“We're heading back today, thought I'd let you sleep a little longer,” Astrid walked over to her and leaned down for a kiss, “since I kept you up way past your bedtime,” she said in such a coquettish way, it would make anyone weak to the bone. Dawn's cheeks flared up in a hot blush, Astrid indulged her with a smile that revealed her laugh lines.

“Give me a minute, I'll get ready and then we can go,” she said and heaved herself up in a sitting position.

Something shifted in the blonde's eyes, her expression turned serious, worrying, even.

“What's wrong?” Dawn sat up even straighter and pulled the cover over her chest. The older woman sat down by her side and sighed. She tucked a strand of hair behind Dawn's ear, the girl closed her hand around her wrist and searched her face, “well?”

“They brought her in last night, the Night Mother and-,” she seemed to have noticed Dawn's widening eyes and patted her lightly on the back of her hand, “Brynjolf made sure the people escorting the coffin were stone sober,” she raked a hand through her thick hair, “although, I wouldn't mind if they dropped her a few times on their way down.”

“Astrid!” She barked and furrowed her brows angrily.

“Simmer down, Sweetroll, I'm joking,” she said and offered her a sly smile.

“That wasn't even funny,” Dawn murmured and glared surly at her commander. Apprehension got the better of her and she felt that she had to ask: “what do you think she will say?”

“I wouldn't know, would I?” Her response was rather unfair, Dawn thought. However, the urge to stay in bed didn't trump her curiosity and soon she was on her feet with black, leather trousers halfway up her ankles.

“Seems like you're not easy to persuade, my little whirlwind,” she sighed, “on the other hand, it would be interesting to hear if she complains about the smell – and you happen to be our only translator,” her voice was tired and Dawn immediately felt guilty, “I'll be in the cistern, find me when you're ready,” she kissed her on shoulder and left the room.

She put on the rest of her new armor and tightened the belt around her waist a bit too hard. The looming pain occupied her mind and gave her something else to think about. The door opened and a hand reached around the inside to knock, Vex stuck her head through the gap, wearing a broad, toothy smile.

“You naked?” Her smile widened as her eyebrows made a ridiculous dance on her forehead.

Dawn shook her head and smiled politely, “no, I'm decent,” she glanced over at the mirror and tried to rake through her messy hair with twitchy fingers.

“That's the understatement of the century,” Vex kicked the door shut behind her, “I heard you two called truce last night,” she swirled her finger towards her and made another bizarre dance with her eyebrows.

“Oh? She tell you that?” Dawn asked as she struggled to put her tangled hair in a bun. She found it hard to believe that Vex had met Astrid on her way over and that they had engaged in a friendly chatter – their relationship would probably never evolve to a higher level than a quick smile and a respectful nod.

“No, I literally  _heard_ you,” she sauntered over and leaned against the wall next to Dawn, “who knew that something so small can make such loud noises?”

Usually Dawn appreciated Vex's crass humor, but she had a strange feeling she couldn’t shake and it only allowed her to give a strained smile in response. The blonde didn't seem take note – and she reeked of alcohol.

“Are youdrunk?” The question came out far more accusing than she'd intended, but Vex just shrugged at her.

“I've come to the conclusion that if I keep a bottle at arms reach, it takes longer for the hangover to kick in,” she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, “besides, if I stop now I'd be knocked out in fifteen for sure.”

Dawn shook her head at her optimistic tone, but did little to enthuse her. She had a knot tightening deep inside her stomach, and she didn't feel like talking about it - not even to her best friend. In all honesty, she wanted her to leave.

Vex stroked her down her arm, “I can go with you,” she said casually, and with a bit of a drunken slur, “y-you don't have to, um, go alone, I mean,” the blonde waved her hands as if her words would become clearer when she did.

She stood quiet for a moment, trying to come up with an excuse to get away. Vex was only trying to help, she knew that, but she couldn't bear her being so ratted, “you know what, I'll come and find you later, okay?” She suggested and the other woman rolled her eyes and snorted.

“I'm heading there anyway, don't wanna miss out on all the fun just because you're embarrassed,” she said and snapped her fingers.

Dawn considered herself defeated and nodded at her to follow her out. Vex practically skipped out of the room, moving clumsily from side to side.

“Take it down a notch, will you?” She said, irritably, “or I'll drag you back to the room and lock the door,” she grabbed Vex's hand and held her still.

She wrinkled her nose at Dawn, “no thank you, it smells funny in there,” she said and jerked her hand free.  
  
The bluenette sighed, “I'm not babysitting your drunken arse. So, you know, just stand in a corner or something,” she muttered and opened the door to the cistern.

“Fine,” Vex grunted in response.

The hall was not as crowded as she had expected. A few people stood by the walls, pressing anxiously at the stone, some were sitting on their beds – struggling to keep their eyes open. In the middle stood the massive coffin, it seemed to cast a dark shadow over the entire chamber. The two guild leaders stood in front of it, speaking in hushed voices. Astrid noticed the two latecomers and beckoned Dawn over to stand by her side. As she walked up the arch her eyes fixed upon the coffin, the suffocating feeling of fear clawed at her insides. Her gaze then averted and locked with Astrid's – she extended her hand, and Dawn entwined it with her trembling fingers. The room was silent, as if it had been caught in a trance. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something, and all eyes were on her. She heard her own heart pound in her ears, it was a suffocating feeling, especially as she felt eyes watching her from every direction. She let go of Astrid’s hand and took a few, heavy steps forward.

“It’s okay, Dawn,” Astrid whispered to her reassuringly, “I’m right behind you.”

It didn’t make the knot inside her stomach dissolve, but it gave her the courage to take another step as she raised her hand toward the coffin. As soon as her skin touched the stone a jolt shot through her body, she recoiled, almost falling backwards. Astrid was quickly by her side and put her hands on either side of her arms.

 “Are you alright?” She breathed, “do you need a minute?”

Dawn’s head felt mushy, she blinked a few times to regain focus and shook her head, “I’m fine,” she said and decided to have another go at it. Preparing for another electric like shock, she reached out once again and put her hand against the coffin. An ear shattering howl erupted and she fell to her knees. She pressed her palms hard against her ears but it didn’t work - the scream came from inside her own head. Her body started to hurt and she felt herself curl into a ball, like an insect hoping not to get crushed underneath someone’s feet. Hands went over her body, people had started to understand that something was going on and wanted to help - she wanted them to stop touching her. Minutes passed, might as well have been hours, before the screams finally faded and left her numb. Sweat ran from her forehead down her face, her hands were bloody and her nails broken; she had clawed at the ground so hard that it had peeled off some of her skin. Astrid had crouched down in front of her, she was speaking but Dawn couldn’t hear a word she was saying.

  _“You fool,”_  she heard a voice say, it wasn’t Astrid's. She looked hazily at the coffin behind the blonde’s back,  _“I warned you of my power, do you feel it now, Listener?”_

Dawn took all the strength she had left and opened her mind,  _“it takes more than a hollering corpse to scare me,”_ she thought and was met with an eerie chuckle.

" _Look around you, child,”_ she replied and Dawn stood up on slowly as her eyes wandered over the hall. She saw horrified faces looking back at her, she saw the worry in Astrid’s eyes and the fury in Brynjolf’s. Her heart sank, these people weren’t ready for battle, most of them didn’t even know what it meant to take a life.  _“Do you see it, child? The fear and resentment you have cast upon your fellow compatriots. I don’t see an army, only weak souls about to perish in a war you have started.”_ Her words stung deep inside Dawn’s chest, more so - it made her angry.

 _“You have no control over these people, Mother,”_ she started and heard the coffin hiss at her,  _“you are stuck, you can’t run from this place, that doesn't make you powerful, only useless.”_

The Night Mother growled inhumanly, Dawn wasn’t that easily fooled. She had been afraid of the dead woman for too long, as she stood before her in that moment, she didn’t feel anything,  _“you can’t do anything about this, can you?”_ She mocked,  _“it drives you mad, forever pinned between thick, cold stone. You probably thought you found your ultimate puppet, that I would do anything for you. You thought it was just a matter of time before my loyalties would shift, and then what? I would betray Astrid, our true leader, for an ancient corpse?”_ Dawn felt adrenaline pump through her veins, they had outsmarted the smartest, managed to lure her far away from her territory to prevent her from distracting them.

  _“I can see your inside your soul, child,”_ she rasped, “ _that blasphemous woman you so blindly follow will be your undoing. You will gain nothing by obeying her foul ways. Ask her about the tenets, and how many times she has turned her back on the law of Sithis.”_

 Dawn looked over her shoulder at Astrid, and the woman looked back at her with a tense expression. She knew Astrid had ignored the tenets, but only when it had been absolutely necessary - for the good of the family. The Night Mother tried to win her over in desperation, but it wouldn’t work,  _“you're just an old hag, and if I won’t listen to you, who will?”_

The coffin hissed a few moments, then, as if someone had closed a window, all went quiet - Dawn considered herself a victor. She turned to Brynjolf, “lock her in a room,” she said in a raspy voice, Brynjolf blinked confusingly, “I mean, um, I think it would be best if we put her somewhere you can have full control of who’s in there with her,” she admitted to herself that the conversation that she’d had left her a bit bold, especially since she had been the only living participant in the room. Brynjolf stared at her, he then snapped his fingers to summon Delvin and Sapphire.

“Put our guest in the vault,” he said, his eyes still fixed upon Dawn, “bar the door, I want two people outside at all times.” They nodded and called over a few people to help them with the ponderous boulder.

Astrid approached Dawn from behind, “how are you feeling?” She asked in a concerned voice and put a soothing hand on Dawn’s face, “feels like you’re burning up.”

Dawn took away her hand and held it in her own, “I’m alright,” she said reassuringly, then she looked at them both, “honestly, there’s nothing wrong with me.”

She didn’t like the frown Brynjolf was wearing, neither the raised eyebrows of her own leader. People around them started whispering, casting dark stares toward the bluenette. She went from feeling victorious to discouraged, but she couldn’t blame them. The scene before them had been like a silent play - impossible to understand.

“I think we need to have a little talk, don’t you?” Brynjolf said in a serious voice, it ceased the last courage Dawn had left in her. She couldn’t possibly tell Brynjolf what the Night Mother had said, she couldn’t tell Astrid either. Even if Dawn doubted the Night Mother could do anything locked inside a thick stone vault, Brynjolf seemed to still see her as something important - why else would he have given Dawn the journal? She knew exactly what Astrid’s reaction would be, she would sneer and push it aside as idle threats, “I know both you ladies are feeling a little homesick, but I think we all need to understand what just happened,” he sounded hard-set and not at all like the Brynjolf she knew. She dreaded he’d had a change of heart, there was no way they could take the Night Mother back to the sanctuary without it turning into a catastrophe, she wouldn’t be able to shut her out.

“Of course,” said Astrid silkily and shot Dawn a quick glance, “we’re not in any rush.”

Dawn felt as though Astrid could sense her unease, but she nodded at the two leaders and followed them to the briefing chamber. Brynjolf held the door open as the two women silently entered. As soon as he had closed the door he let out a heavy sigh and raked a hand through his hair.

“Now, lass,” he said calmly and approached Dawn, “I trust you with all my heart, but you have a great responsibility here,” he put both of his large hands on either side of Dawn’s shoulders, “look me in the eye and tell me I don’t have to worry about my guild being slaughtered by an angry spirit.”

Dawn opened her mouth slightly, then closed it again. Once again she was torn between the thought of the Night Mother being nothing more than trickster and that she might actually have some impact, should her wrath rise and her power exceed into something physical - she was the bride of Sithis, after all. She took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders, “she can’t hurt anyone in her condition,” she said, and almost believed her own words.

He didn’t seem too happy with her answer, and kept a steady grip on her shoulders, “Dawn, I’m not asking you as your superior,” he said, and the knot inside her stomach tightened again, “I’m asking you as a friend.”

She looked into his eyes, he searched hers, “you have nothing to worry about, Brynjolf,” she lied and immediately felt ashamed. If he bought it or not she couldn’t know, instead she looked away as his hands fell to his sides.

“Right,” Astrid finally said, “we should be on our way,” she walked over to Brynjolf and they grabbed each others forearms. Dawn gave him a tight hug around the neck and thanked him for everything. Both women walked silently back to his chambers and collected their bags, on their way out Dawn stopped for a second and looked for Vex. The chance that she had crashed into a deep, drunken slumber was quite big and it made her smile a little as the door to the flagon closed behind them.

* * *

  
”So,” Astrid said when they sat on Shadowmere’s back with Riften slowly disappearing behind their backs, “are you going to tell me what really happened?”

Dawn was chewing on one of the apples they had brought for the horse, starving after the morning’s events - and also because she had skipped breakfast. The blonde looked over her shoulder and arched an eyebrow at the younger woman.

She shrugged, “nothing,” the finished apple was thrown into the bushes.

She scoffed, “funny, I have a vivid memory of you screaming in agony. You might be able to fool Brynjolf, but not me,” her voice was solemn and firm, but Dawn didn’t feel like jeopardizing their new found peace.

“I don’t remember much, actually, is there anything else than horse food to eat?”

Astrid sighed, reached for her bag and handed it to her, “there should be some bread in there somewhere,” she went silent for a moment as Dawn rustled around the bag and fished out a loaf of bread. “Fine, you don’t want to talk about it right now,” she continued, there was a distinct trace of irritation to her tone, “but in the weeks to come I need your head to be clear, not full of scaremonger from a dead woman, alright?”

“My head is clear,” she muttered back, “don’t worry about it.”

Astrid seemed to relax a bit, leaned her head back and gave her a peck on her cheek. She too seemed to be tired of their quarreling, but Dawn had a feeling the woman knew she withheld a few things. The Night Mother was not happy with her current home, but at least she was out of the way and Dawn wouldn’t be bothered every time she entered the sanctuary. Shadowmere picked up the pace and the world began to pass quickly around them. Dawn felt the cold autumn air on her face, she held on tighter around Astrid’s waist. As if time had sped up, she saw the shadows on the mountains shift, it was not long before darkness had swallowed the light. Droplets of rain came down on her face and she blinked.

“Great,” she heard Astrid mumble, she steered Shadowmere away from the main road and down a narrow path, “Deathbell, I need your eyes.”

Dawn sat up straighter, “what are we looking for?” She asked tiredly and tugged on the plaid underneath, she wrapped it around their bodies.

“There should be a cottage here somewhere, abandoned and not in the best shape,” she pulled the reins and the horse stopped, “but it should give us a decent cover, and we wouldn’t want to ruin your hair,” she added and managed to conjure a shivering laugh from the girl.

“I think the stress coming from all this traveling will ruin my hair faster than the rain,” she joked and got off the horse, “have you got a torch?”

Astrid nodded and got down on the ground beside her. She unlatched a torch from one of the straps of the saddle, “here,” she handed it to Dawn and watched her with an intrigued expression as she ignited it with her thu’um. The area around them lit up in a pleasant glow and they began to walk down the narrow path. After a while Dawn could make out a shape different than the thick tree trunks surrounding them, a small cottage.

“There,” she said and pointed eagerly in that direction. Astrid patted her on the shoulder. They got closer and she could see the blonde rest her hand on the hilt of her weapon. The possibility of the house being occupied by bandits was fairly big, but she had a hunch Astrid had something else on her mind. She took Shadowmere from the blonde’s grip and let her examine the broken windows. Astrid went around the house and disappeared, Dawn counted the seconds and when she had reached the two minute mark she could see Astrid come back from the shadows, looking a bit more relaxed.

“Well,” she sighed and looked at the broken house someone had once called home, “it’s not much, at least there’s a roof,” the enthusiasm in her voice couldn’t have sounded more fake. Astrid liked comfort, and this was far below her standards. Dawn could tell she’d much rather set up camp. She herself would have enjoyed a night under the stars - had it not been raining. Shadowmere nibbled on her bag as she hitched him to a nearby tree and scattered some apples for him. She scratched the top of his head before heading inside with Astrid. It was dusty, and not as snug as the abandoned shack. They put out blankets on the floor and Astrid insisted on sharing her bedroll, and nothing stopped Dawn from from saying yes. They squeezed inside the tight hide and laughed as they tried to puzzle their bodies together as comfortably as they could. Astrid pressed her body against Dawn’s and kissed her lovingly as her hands traveled over her soft skin.

“Astrid, I need to ask you something,” she said quietly and interrupted slender fingers journeying over her abdomen.

“Mmm, ask away, dearest,” Astrid’s husky voice sent a pleasant shiver through her body.

“It’s about the tenets,” she said and immediately felt Astrid’s body stiffen a bit.

“What about them?” She asked and she could see her eyes catching hers in the darkness.

Dawn shifted a little, “well, I was just wondering why you decided not to follow them and…” she got interrupted by a heavy sigh.

“You want to know if I did it just so I didn’t have to worry about breaking them?” She said, and Dawn began to wonder if she had read her mind, “I’ll tell you this much, the rules weren’t exactly being followed when I first got recruited, our leader wasn’t entirely keen on working within fixed regulations, and I suppose that shaped me into the leader I am today,” it was a vague answer and she felt that Astrid purposely left things unsaid, “now, I take it you’re interested in knowing if I have broken any of the tenets?”

“That’s the thing, I already know you have,” she said timidly, “you speak openly of your discontent with the Night Mother coming back, but I thought that was what the Dark Brotherhood wanted?”

“Is this interrogation the result of your little one-on-one with her?” Her voice turned cold, then she sighed, “she sure has given me nothing but trouble ever since that little clown brought her back, but I expected nothing less,” she ran a hand through Dawn’s hair, “if I tell you, you might think ill of me,” she whispered, the bluenette shook her head.

“I won’t,” she whispered back, “you have done things you regret, as have I.”

Astrid chuckled lowly, “yes, well, whatever it is you’ve done I can guarantee you I’ve done far worse,” she said and let out a heavy breath, Dawn waited for her to continue, “I...killed our leader.”

Dawn raised her eyebrows in shock, the blonde could most likely not see it, but she undoubtedly must have felt the younger woman’s body tense up. Her mind tried to find a suitable explanation, he must have forced himself on her, or maybe they got in a really bad fight and she had to defend herself?

“He was old, but controlled us with an iron fist. Nothing we did was ever good enough, we were young, good for nothing vermin to him. We could only wait for him to fall down the stone steps and break his neck, but he never did,” she cleared her throat, “one day Arnbjorn and I came back from a job and he summoned us to his chamber. When we got there he was bedridden, he claimed he must have caught something on his yearly journey down to Cyrodiil, but we could see that his days were numbered. He told us he had found a new successor, a man he trusted would keep our vicious reputation, elevate the family, and so on,” she reached for the satchel of water, Dawn could tell that she was nervous - even if she did a good job keeping her voice steady, “it was supposed to be me, the second we left his room I decided he had to die, and that I would take his place. No one else knew apart from me and my husband, he helped me with the poison that same night.”

Dawn was listening so intensely she could actually see the scene play out in front of her. The wind howled outside the decrepit cottage, “who was the successor?” She asked and took the satchel from Astrid’s grip.

“Nazir,” she said and Dawn almost choked on the water she had just began to swallow.

“Does he know?” She sat up and felt the cold air latch onto her body.

“Of course not,” Astrid scoffed, “only Arnbjorn knows, and I'd like to keep it that way. I didn't think...”

“What? You thought this wasn't a big deal? You would never have told me if the Night Mother hadn’t suggested I ask you about it,” Dawn snapped, “how is this different to what Arnbjorn is doing to you right now?”

Astrid sat up next to Dawn, “It’s completely different, I’ve earned my place as leader.”

“Says who? The man you killed? How can you claim to be a good leader if you’ve murdered a man to get to the top?” She was out on thin ice, but even if she had little respect left for the Night Mother she could still see how this information was problematic enough should it reach the wrong person. Dawn could almost see how her words had turned Astrid’s warm, green eyes black as charcoal.

“This has nothing to do with you, Dawn,” she hissed, “you can't react like this every time I answer your questions! And don't think you can talk to me like that, if anyone else speaks to me like that...”

Dawn stood up hastily and picked up her clothes, “well, I guess I’m lucky you chose me to keep your bed warm,” she got dressed in seconds and grabbed the torch from the floor. She set it on fire a little too hastily and the entire room lit up like there had been a thunderbolt striking down. She stopped for a second and looked at Astrid’s face, it wasn’t as full of anger as she had thought, more sadness and regret. But she decided she needed to get away, if only for a few moments.

 “I’ll be back before first light, I can't be around you right now,” she said and rushed through the door. The rain had subsided and left a brisk air that stung in her lungs. She went back on the path but left it and ventured further into the forest. Underneath the soft moss she could hear twigs snap with her steps. She bent down and pressed a hand against the smooth ground, and laid down. Minutes passed, then hours and after a while she could see a tired sun color the treetops yellow. Suddenly she couldn’t understand why she had gotten so angry, what Astrid had done twenty years ago wasn’t any of her business, people change - she definitely had. She took care of her family, she loved it. Nazir didn’t seem to be unhappy with his role as her right hand, maybe he hadn’t even taken on the role as leader. She left the soft ground and started to make her way back, as she picked up her pace she could soon see the little cottage behind the thick trees. Her stride was broken by a figure, blocking her way. It was a man, tall and bulky. He wore the Stormcloak colors, and she could discern a grim smile underneath his helmet. 

"You lost, girlie?" He said before he spat sloppily over his shoulder, "out for a little morning walk, are we?"

"No," she murmured and put a hand on her belt, a cold shiver went down her spine as she realized her she wasn't carrying any weapons, "I'm on my way home, actually."

He gawked at her, his eyes traveling over her body, "no one's been living in these parts for years," he grinned at her, revealing a set of yellowing teeth, "you better not be lying to a man of the Jarl."

Dawn clenched her fists, "I'm not lying," she said bluntly, "I better leave, my father is waiting for me," she didn't know why she had said that, somehow she imagined that men had a standing respect for fathers waiting on their daughters. The man took a step forward and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Now, now, dearie," he said, his breath foul on her face, "I think you're not being completely honest with me, are you?"

"You have no business knowing who I am or where I'm going, so do us both a favor and get out of my way," she said and slapped his hand away, "before this gets really ugly."

She had one weapon she could use - her voice. She kept her eyes on his and focused on the power inside of her. Before she could react, a hand wrapped around her face and covered her mouth and nose. She was dragged violently backwards and thrown down mercilessly on the ground. Another man had approached her from behind, she couldn't understand how that could've happened. She was just about to scream when the one who had attacked her shoved something inside her mouth - a glove? A handkerchief? She could hardly breath, much less make any sound loud enough for anyone to hear. The man that had pulled her down tied her hands together whilst the other took care of her feet.

"You sure it's one of them? She's not wearing the right colors," one of the men said to the other.

"Look at her hair, you half-wit. It's blue as sapphire," he answered and they both stared at her strangely, "just take her feet and let's get out of here."

They dragged her away and she could see the little cottage disappear. Panic started to rise and she began to fight the thing stuck in her mouth. She could feel it loosen, one more push with her tongue and she would be free. They stopped by the road and threw her back on the ground.

"Slow down there, dearie," the bulky man said and stuffed the thing tightly back inside her mouth, "good girls don't get hurt, so behave."

She grunted angrily, but the men just laughed at her. It became very clear to her that if she didn't get away from them fast, Astrid wouldn't find her. So she did the only thing she could and decided she wouldn't make it easy for them. They took hold of her arms and legs, and she began to kick and squirm to buy herself some time. A hard boot landed on her stomach and left her curled up in pain.

"What did I just tell you, hm?" The man said and took a hold of her hair, "I could make this really hard for you, but the wolves gave me strict orders to deliver you alive," he bent down and touched her face, "but I'd love to put some scars on that pretty, porcelain skin of yours," he scraped a sharp, uneven nail over her cheek, she flinched. 

"Let's get her up on the wagon  _today,_ " the other man yelled and they grabbed her limbs again. She felt all of her remaining strength wither, and when they pushed her up the wagon and tied her to it she did nothing. The sun had risen and stood tall over the treetops. The world seemed different, and she imagined it would keep changing even after she was gone - that thought gave her some kind of comfort.


	13. A chance encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while, sorry about that!   
> Enjoy :)

Astrid tapped her fingers on the wonky oak table impatiently. The sun had risen and started to cast a deep yellow light through the broken window. During her hours alone she had been thinking, and admitting to herself that she is quite the unreasonable woman, but running away in the middle of the night, like Dawn had done, seemed a bit juvenile. She looked out the window, but once again only trees and her horse stared back at her. Was she supposed to be worried? She chose not to. Dawn had probably decided to walk the rest of the way home, she would find her strutting tiredly on the road somewhere. Astrid picked up her bag, and then Dawn’s, before heading outside. The grass was wet with the heavy autumn dew, Shadowmere watched her thoughtfully as she approached him.

“ Don’t look at me like that,” she said and pulled a dry blanket over his back and rubbed her hands over his coat, “she started it this time.”

He tossed his head back and snorted harshly at her, a white cloud erupted from his big nostrils. She threw the heavy saddle over his back, “well, you’re not perfect either,” she said surly. With the reins in her hand she took the lead and marched in the direction of the road. A sudden tug from the horse almost made her lose her footing, he had stopped and was looking into the deep forest. She yanked the rope but was countered by an even harder pull to the left. Astrid followed his gaze but saw nothing other than heavy branches hanging from the tall trees.

“ There’s nothing there, boy, come on,” she said and clicked her tongue, but he stood perfectly still, staring into the dark woodland. She rolled her eyes tiredly, and made a decision to take a quick look, the horse seemed happy about this and strutted after her slowly. With one hand clasped around the reins and the other in front of her she battled the hanging branches that whipped her face without mercy.

“Are you happy now?” She complained to the animal, “luring me into this bug infested bush for noth-,” she stopped mid sentence as her eyes caught something. In the moss there was a print, a person had been lying there. She scanned the ground and saw footprints, big, a man’s - no, two men. She followed the marks and saw another pair, smaller and not as heavy, they were barely visible in the thick moss. But Astrid was a good tracker, and her heart pounded when she noticed the marks in the ground getting messier and deeper. Something had happened right where she was, not more than a few hours before. She kneeled down and picked up something, a big lump of hair, her breath got caught in her throat - it was blue.

 

* * *

 

It had been the longest carriage ride Dawn had ever had when the wheels finally stopped rolling. She looked over the edge of the wagon as much as the ropes around her body would allow her. The sound of heavy gates opening caught her attention, but she couldn’t turn her body enough to see. Suddenly, someone jumped up on the wagon. It was a boy, the very same teenage boy who had followed them on their way to Riften. He had an ugly bruise on his left cheek, his eyes were sad and vacant, in his hand he held an empty flower sack. They stared at each other for a moment.

“That looks like it hurts,” she whispered and sank lower, “they did that to you?”

He shifted uncomfortably and shot a quick glance over at the two men riding the wagon, “I’m not supposed to talk to you,” he responded quickly and turned the sack in his hand.

“Wait,” she hissed before he put the fabric over her head, “that night in the woods, w-with the werewolf, I helped you, remember?” She tried but the boy only shook his head in despair.

“No, you only made it worse,” he said as his eyes teared up, “if they see me talking to you they’ll break my ribs, or worse,” he said in a low voice as he looked around nervously.

Dawn’s brain worked harder than a Dunmer machinery to think of something fast, “If you help me get out of here, I’ll take you to a place where they’ll never find you,” she urged, he looked at her in disbelief.

“You can’t,” he said and pulled down the collar of his sweater. A big scar decorated his chest, the face of a wolf had been carved into his flesh, “I’m already theirs.”

“What’s taking so long back there, boy!” One of the guards bellowed and the boy’s eyes widened in fright.

“I’m really sorry about this,” he said and covered her head with the sack.

The wagon started to move again and she kicked the floor in frustration, cursing herself as she did when the bruises on her stomach reminded themselves. A few minutes later they stopped again, she tried to make out the shadows behind the fabric and imagined them to be buildings. They had unmistakably taken her to one of the big holds. The weight of the wagon shifted, someone heavy had jumped up and she felt the ropes holding her down loosen. Somebody grabbed her by her ankles and dragged her over to the edge before pulling her to the ground. Another rope was tied around her wrists and hands grabbed both of her arms and urged her to move forward. It didn’t take long before she tripped over her own feet, the grip around her arms tightened and the man to her right cursed.

“You know, this would be a whole lot easier if you’d just let me see where I was putting my feet,” she growled.

“Shut it,” said a voice to her left, she recognized it immediately - it was the beast from the woods, “here, take her and drag her down to the dungeons, he’s waiting,” he continued and shoved her to the side. She felt him let go of her and she could hear a door open as the man to her right pulled her inside. They proceeded down a long set of stairs, she could feel the air become colder the further they got. When they finally had stopped she could hear a cell door open and she was pushed inside with such force she fell to the ground. The bag on her head was removed, the man in front of her smiled grimly. She stared at him in confusion, he wasn’t wearing the armor of the Stormcloaks, but of the Imperials. Nothing made sense, why would two groups with such extreme divergences work together? The question left her so engulfed in her own thoughts she hadn’t even noticed the man cutting her hands loose and leave. She stood up slowly and walked over to the cell door. The thick iron bars were cold in her hands, she checked for bends and cracks in the cylinder shapes but found none - she wouldn't even be able to shout the door apart.

“Well I’ll be damned,” came a very familiar voice that made her blood freeze. Arnbjorn came down the stairs, a triumphant smirk playing on his lips, “look what the cat dragged in,” he said and stopped right in front of her, she backed away and looked at the man in disgust. He resembled the typical villain in a fairy tale parents read to their children, wearing heavy black and blue armor, a wolf’s pelt hung around his thick neck.

“I thought I could smell dog,” she responded crustily, “so, you found me, well, you let someone else do it for you because you’re afraid to get your paws dirty.”

He crossed his arms, “are you surprised? They way you’ve been running around in the open, it’s like you were begging for it,” he said, too pleased for her liking.

“Yeah, women should really consider how men like you think before heading outside their doors,” she bit back and could distinguish a glimmer of irritation in his eyes.

“Ha! You two are not women, you’re vermin. Better off dead, two faced whores!” He spat and

Dawn got a bit surprised by his sudden loss of control.

“I suppose I just expected you to have some respect left, if not for the Brotherhood, then for Astrid.”

The man stared at her, then he threw his head back and laughed, “respect? Did she respect me when she chose Nazir to be her right hand?”

Dawn rolled her eyes, “you know why she did that, if not for the two of you, he would have been the one making the rules,” she said and watched him clench his jaw, “yeah, she told me.”

He took a step forward and grabbed the iron bars, his eyes bore into hers, “then tell me, did she respect me when she decided to wrap her arms around the newcomer who came from nothing, knew nothing, but walked around like she owned the place?” He growled.

She stared back at him, “is that why you’re doing this? Because she broke your heart?” She couldn't pity him. The man before her was incapable of love, his only interest was owning things, and people.

He snorted at her, “don’t be stupid, I planned on taking Astrid’s position long before you two started exchanging looks. Good thing she was so caught up in your business, she never noticed me plotting her downfall,” he started to grin, she had a feeling she wouldn't like what he had to say next, “and now here I am, drinking mead in gold plated cups, all thanks to you.”

Dawn felt herself frown deeply, “me..? I’ve never helped you with anything,” She asked confusingly, they had barely spoken during their time in the Pine Forest, how could she possibly have helped him?

“To put it simply, this has all been set up, Astrid’s meeting with  Amaund Motierre in  Volunruud,” he hesitated when he seemed to notice Dawn’s perplexed stare, “she doesn’t tell you  _ everything _ , does she?” He chuckled and raised Dawn’s patience level to a maximum.

“Get to the point,” she hissed and quickly walked over to the bars so she could stare him right in the eye.

“There was never a contract on the emperor, not a real one anyway. You murdered him in cold blood, and the people of Tamriel wants justice. The imperials hired us to find the killer, and since we already knew who you were it was an easy task. The only thing we needed at the time were greater numbers, something we got from Jarl Ulfric as he seemed to think a group of werewolves would be a fine addition to his army. The imperials and Stormcloaks decided to raise a white flag until the killer was found, can’t fight in a war if there’s nothing to fight for. The two sides want to put this behind them and continue coloring the fields red with blood, and the people wants to see you hang, which they will, very soon…” he said and paused, Dawn could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears.

“And you will become heroes of the day,” she finished and he nodded in response. It all made sense to her then, it was just as much about his lust for power as it was personal. The humiliation he must have felt seeing his wife slowly fall for someone else, a woman at that. She backed away from the cell door and sat down on the cold ground, still staring deep into his wolf like eyes, “she will come for me,” she said in a low voice.

His lips twisted into a grim smile, “oh, I’m counting on it. And when she does, she will be greeted by your rotting corpse hanging outside the city gates.”

* * *

“She can’t just vanish!” Nazir’s voice bounced between the stone walls of the Dawnstar sanctuary, “you must have overlooked the tracks?”

Astrid stood by the hearth, pinching the bridge of her nose. She was tired, of thinking, of worrying, and of Nazir’s constant voice interrupting her thoughts, “I didn’t,” she sighed, “you know who took her as well as I, they’d be fools not to cover their trails.”

She looked at him tiredly, the frown on his face disappeared as he limped over to her. The sharp sound of his cane coming down on the floor made her clench her jaw in irritation. He put a hand on her shoulder, and she let him even though the touch prickled her skin uncomfortably. He stood silent, but she could feel there was something itching on his mind, like he wanted to ask her something but didn’t dare to.

“Don’t just stand there and stare at me, I can feel your eyes burning into my back,” she said and rolled her eyes, “spit it out.”

The man sighed and tapped his cane nervously on the stone floor, “well, you told me you two had a disagreement…”

“A fight,” she interrupted, “you don’t have to sugar coat your words for me, Nazir.”

He chuckled lightly, “as you wish, a fight,” he hesitated before he continued, “I don’t want to cross a line here but, I need to ask, couldn't she just have decided that she needed some time away,” he said, almost timidly. Astrid turned to face him again and crossed her arms. He had crossed a line, and his eyes told her that he knew it.

“After everything I’ve told you, do you really think she would just pull a handful of hair off her head and decide that she was done?” She responded sharply.

“That’s not what I meant…” he said but stopped when they both heard something fall to the floor. Their attention was drawn to the entrance of the hall where a little figure of a girl stood, a cup rolled by her feet and blood seeped out over the edge of it.

“Dawn’s gone?” Babette said, her voice almost had a tremble to it, as if she was holding back tears, “she’s not dead, is she?” The little vampire took slow steps towards the pair, her eyes seemed to glow as the reflection of the fire danced inside her red orbs. Nazir limped over to her and shook his head.

“Nothing to worry about, Babette,” he crouched down to her level, “it’s daytime, you should be resting.”

Babette’s eyes quickly landed on Astrid’s, “I want to help,” she said and took a few steps past Nazir towards the blonde, “I’ve had her blood, I don’t know why but I can still feel it coursing through my body. When she’s close, I’ll know.”

Nazir stood up clumsily behind her and hurried over to Astrid. He stopped by her side, leaned to her ear and whispered: “she’s not strong enough, we just got her back to something like her old self. If something happened to Dawn...I don’t know how she would respond.”

Astrid watched the vampire carefully, she listened to Nazir’s words but for some reason she didn’t share his concern, “rest until nightfall, I’ll plan a route and we’ll leave as soon as the sun has set.”    
  
Babette nodded and exited the room before Nazir had the chance to protest. He turned to her but she raised a hand to tell him they were done and walked down the small steps from the fireplace. 

“She could be dead, Astrid,” he said and the words made her stop in her tracks, “you are rushing things, and not thinking clearly. Taking a three hundred year old, depressed vampire on a rescue mission, I wouldn’t call that a smart move, I’d call it suicide.”

Astrid clenched her jaw and pressed her eyes shut, she couldn’t even look at him as anger started to boil inside her body, “I value your opinion in most situations,” she said between gritted teeth as she tried to fight the urge to grab his head and slam it against the thick stone wall, “but when it comes to this, you do well to keep things like that from coming out of your mouth, at least when I’m around.”

“I understand that you’re upset, I worry just as much as you…” he said calmly but stopped mid sentence when she twirled around in seconds and he could see the way her eyes had darkened.

“No,  _ you _ don’t get to worry. You have no clue what this feels like,” she said and walked up to him, he seemed shorter as she towered above him, “you think this is just some obsession on my part, hm? She is  _ everything _ to me, and I feel sorry for you because you will never know how that feels.”

She watched him struggle to find his voice, it only added more fuel to her agitated mind, “if you ever feel the urge to talk about Dawn like that to me again, know that I will break your little stick in two and make you crawl back to your chambers, got it?”

He bowed his head, but she knew he was as furious at her as she was at him, “yes,” he said as his eyes were on the floor.

“Yes, what?” She pushed and could almost hear him growl under his breath.

“Yes, mistress.”

* * *

Fingers, soft and slender caressed Dawn’s head gently and made her hum joyfully as they tickled her scalp. Her upper body rested upon something soft, much softer than the pile of hay she had crawled on top on before she had fallen asleep. Her eyes opened slowly and she saw the dim glow coming from the one torch in her cell. It felt strange, being touched so softly after all the beatings, the starving and the dragging from one place to another. Then, as if lightning had struck, she sat up straight and clenched her stomach as a jolt of pain rushed through it. She blinked a few times and saw a figure sitting right where she had been sleeping. When her drowsy eyes adjusted she saw the face of a woman, staring back at her. She was dressed in a black, silk robe that fell over her body becomingly. Her serene expression didn’t match Dawn’s surprised one, she stared wide eyed at the stranger before her.

“What...the hell?” She managed to utter, but the woman only smiled warmly at her. It must be a hallucination, she thought and pinched her arm. The woman stood up and started to walk towards her and she slithered backwards in panic until she hit the opposite wall. She shut her eyes tightly and waited for something to happen, for something to hurt - but there was nothing. Only when she dared to open her eyes again, and stared at the woman before her, it struck her - this was no stranger. She reached out her hand and Dawn accepted it. As if she weighed nothing she was pulled to her feet.

“Are you…” she started but hesitated as the world around her went into a blur for a second, “this is a dream...I’m dreaming right?” She looked around and watched the atmosphere around them sharpen again.

“Of course you are, my child,” said the woman, her voice soft as silk and not hollow and horrifying as it always was in her head. The woman, with her ghost like but strangely enchanting appearance was nothing like the corpse Cicero had brought to the sanctuary months before.

“You are the Night Mother,” Dawn breathed as her hands fell to her side, then she flinched and took a step back, “are you here to kill me?”

The ghost chuckled lightly and shook her head, “no, like you said, it’s just a dream,” she said and smiled warmly.

Dawn frowned, “so, is there a reason you’re here? I mean, the last time we spoke you weren’t exactly happy with me,” she said quietly and looked down at the dirty floor.

“No,” she replied and crossed her arms over her chest, “but as much as we might detest each other, we’re still stuck with each others company. Even if we are miles apart, we’re still connected.”

A single finger pulled Dawn’s face up until her eyes met those of the woman, “less than a year ago I was the Dragonborn, a year before that I was just me,” she sighed heavily, “I didn’t ask for this, I didn’t  _ want  _ any of this to happen. I don’t want to be connected to you, I don’t want to see the pain these people are about to cause to this world,” Dawn felt tears sting behind her eyes, but the woman only caressed her cheek gently and smiled.

“Sweet girl, It would have happened anyway. We think we’re in control of our own destiny, but it’s all written out for us. I never planned on becoming the bride of Sithis, I was just a dark elf girl from a small village who chose a different path. You joined the dark brotherhood because you have always searched for the thing you never had…”

Dawn closed her eyes and allowed the tears to fall freely down her cheeks, “a family,” she whispered.

“That’s right, and families don’t abandon each other,” said the woman and stepped back, “you don’t have to die here, you know there’s a way out. You just have to put your mind to it.”

Dawn wiped away the wet droplets on her face and looked around, “there are no windows, the bars are thick as tree trunks and I’m too weak to shout, I can’t...”

“You have to go deeper than that. Think Listener, there  _ is _ a weak link,” she urged and Dawn thought so hard she could feel her temple throb against her skin. She almost let out a gasp when her thoughts went back to when she first got there.

“The boy, the one from the woods, that’s the weak link!” She said fervently, “he comes once a day with bread and water,” she paused as discourage twirled inside her belly, “but, how do I win him over?” She asked.

“My dear, I think you will know exactly what to do, when the time comes,” she smiled, “I think I’ve dwelled inside your head enough for tonight, this is where I leave you.”

She turned, walked over to the spot where they had first been and sat down. She watched Dawn, who started to walk towards her, as if a force dragged her forward. She sat down next to her and put her head on her lap again. A feeling of gloom washed over her as fingers started to stroke her hair.

“Thank you,” she whispered and closed her eyes.

“Don’t thank me. I’m just a dream, remember,” said the woman, “I think we will see each other soon.”

Dawn nodded and promised herself that she would try again, and even if this had all just been nothing more than a dream conjured by her own desperate subconscious, there must be some part left in the Night Mother she knew that could still resolve things civilly. She opened her eyes only to realize she was alone again. The walls didn’t seem blurry or out of shape as they had moments before. She heaved herself up into a sitting position and stared at the barred cell door as if hoping she could make time pass quicker the harder she focused. To her surprise she heard the door at the top of the stairs open and a ray of sunlight wash over the dungeon floor. She rushed to her feet, ignoring the pain striking through her body and went over to the door. When she saw the unmistakable wobbly legs heading down the stairs her heart started to pound even harder inside her chest. The boy stomped over to the cell door, he hadn’t noticed her standing right on the other side since he was too busy on balancing the little cup of water in his trembling hands. As he put everything on the floor right outside, like he always did, he froze as he seemed to have become aware of her feet right in front of where he had put the cup. His body gave a little jolt and he slowly looked up.

“Hi,” she said hoarsely and offered him a little smile. She crouched down to his level and caught his eye, his pale, gray orbs stared back at her in panic, “how are they treating you up there?” She said in the friendliest voice she could. He was so skinny and undernourished that even she in her weak state could reach between the bars and snap his neck in two, but she doubted they had let him down there with a key. She knew she had to be smart, and try to gain his trust.

“Why do you care?” He spat, then he shut his eyes and clutched his side, “I’m fine, they treat me just as I should be treated.”

“You think it’s fair that they use you as a punching bag, break your bones whenever they feel like it?” Said Dawn and watched him fix his eyes on a spot on the floor, “look, you are not their property. You’re free and you have a whole life ahead of you, the mark on your chest is just a mark, it doesn’t define you.”

His fingers went over his shirt where the wolf’s head had been carved out, “I want to be here when we win, I will be one of them and people will know my name, write songs about me. I will be somebody,” he said, it sounded more like wishful thinking to Dawn than something he actually believed. 

“Well, the songs are never that good, and besides,” she leaned her head to the side to catch his eyes again, “if  _ they  _ win, there won’t be many people left writing songs, trust me on that.”

His lips became a thin line and Dawn could see his mind racing behind his vacant stare. She took the cup from the floor and put it to her lips. It tasted dirty, like it had been taken from a puddle on the ground, but she swallowed it anyway. 

“What’s your name?” She asked and he blinked at her in surprise, “you’re kind, I’d like to know the name of at least one kind soul in the crowd when they kill me.”

He stared at her in silence, and she waited patiently.

“It’s Aaron,” he said and seemed to relax a bit, “Aaron, from Karthwasten. I was working in the mines before they took me away. Said they needed a cup-bearer for Jarl Ulfric,” he said as he chuckled a little.

“Is it as glamorous as you thought it would be?” Dawn smiled, he smiled back at her and shook his head. She could see his eyes becoming blank and watery, and there was her answer. He had averted from the path that had been written, he was not supposed to be there - it wasn’t his destiny.

“Look, Aaron. I know that we are on opposite sides of this mess, quite literally,” said Dawn and patted one of the iron bars, “I want to help you, and I think I can. But, I need you to help me first and it will be dangerous, for you and me. If you don’t want to we can leave it here and pretend like this conversation never happened,” she fixed her eyes on his, “but if you do want to see your home again, you need to do a little something for me.”

Aaron bounced a little in his crouching position, he was visibly chewing on the inside of his cheek, Dawn could see he was beyond conflicted. The door swung open at the top of the stairs and the pair froze.

“Hey! Boy!” Yelled someone from the doorway, luckily no one could see them unless they went further down the dungeon, “get your skinny legs up here right now, or I’ll separate them from your body, you schmuck!”

Panic emerged in Aaron’s eyes and Dawn knew it was now or never. She grabbed his collar and he gave a short whimper as she pulled him closer to the cell door.

“Listen,” she hissed as her other hand clasped over his mouth, “write to Astrid, the leader of the dark brotherhood and tell her where I am. Tell her I’m alive, but not for long and that she needs to hurry.” She let go of him and he scurried to his feet and backed away from her reach. 

“Boy!” Bellowed the man again and Aaron shot a quick glance over his shoulder.

“I-I’m coming, j-just fell down the steps on my way down!” He lied and walked backwards towards the stairs.

“Why you little shit, the pigs need feeding! Get up here, now!”

Aaron, who was still looking at Dawn with panic in his eyes nodded, “All right! I’ll do it!” He yelled back, but Dawn understood he wasn’t talking to the man anymore, “if I’m not back tomorrow, you will know I’m dead,” he whispered and hurried up the steps. The door slammed shut again and the dungeon returned to its dark gloom with the torch on the wall being the only source of light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, hope you like it so far!


	14. The pale eyed vagabond

In the far north region of Skyrim, where the streams meet the sea, there was a small village. People walked over the curved road that lead straight through it, but stopped by the last house where a sign swayed slowly over the door.  _ The drunken boar inn _ , they had decided to call it. And the wooden sign showed just that, not that anyone who entered even noticed the absurd design. On the other side of the wooden door the atmosphere was welcoming, not busy, but there were at least two people occupying every table. The innkeeper cleaned the shelves behind the counter diligently, pushing his damp linen cloth into every vein of the wood. He was so caught up in his work he didn’t notice the two dark figures entering his establishment. The taller one, a woman, had covered her hair and half her face, which wasn’t something that would usually draw any attention, the nights were getting colder and most people that came in had decided to wear an extra layer or two. It was the way she carried herself that made folks turn their heads and put down their cups. Her back was straight, her hands moved swiftly as she removed her black, leather gloves. Her green eyes were the only thing that broke the black color palette of her uniform. The little figure to her right looked down at the floor, she too had her face covered. It didn’t take long for the sitting guests to lose interest and go back to their drinks, stories and gossip. The two outsiders walked over to the bar, the woman tapped a finger on the wooden counter and the innkeeper tiredly put down the bottle of ale he had started to dust off.

“Mead?” He asked without looking at his customer, he blew the last dust off the bottle he’d just placed back on the shelf. “Or this? From my own brewery down in the cellar, can’t guarantee great taste but it has a kick to it you’ll never…” he stopped as he turned around and saw the person standing on the other side of the counter. She removed the cowl covering her face and uncovered what had been hidden underneath. The man watched her carefully before he spoke:

“I don’t want any trouble,” he said quietly.

“Oh, neither do we,” the woman said evenly and smiled, “me and my...daughter, are looking for someone,” she continued, and the girl beside her twitched a little.

The man straightened his back and threw the linen cloth aside before wiping his hands on his apron, “you won’t find anything in my bar, I assure you. People come here to unwind after a hard days work out on the sea...and you don’t look like fishermen to me.”

The woman chuckled. Her green eyes twinkled, but not in the kind way an innkeeper like him was used to. She had something dark hidden beneath her charming smile and bright, focused eyes.

“We won’t be long, I was told there was a secluded section in your inn for the people who doesn’t work with...” she paused, sniffed the air and wrinkled her nose, “seafood.”

The innkeeper hesitated. He wanted the woman and her strange daughter gone, but he didn’t want to cause a scene - and he had a feeling there would be one if he didn’t give them what they wanted. He leaned forward and waved at her come closer.

"Go outside, there’s a cellar door around the back. Say  _ praise the nine  _ at that door and someone will let you in,” he said, and got a bit irritated when the woman rolled her eyes.

He waited for her to respond, but she said nothing, she only stared at him intensely. The little girl tugged her arm, it made her blink a few times before a smile spread across her lips. It wasn’t a nice, friendly smile, it was hollow, and it sent a shiver down his spine. To his relief she straightened her posture and took a step back from his bar counter.

“Thank you,” she said and nodded respectfully, he nodded back and reached for the damp cloth once again. He continued to clean his workspace just as carefully as before, but his eyes followed the pair until they had disappeared out the door.

* * *

“ _ Daughter,  _ really Astrid?” Babette muttered as soon as the door behind them had closed, “I’m seven times your age.”

Astrid sighed, “would it have made you feel better if I told him I was your daughter?” She responded and started to walk towards the back. Babette grunted and followed her with quick steps.

“This is it,” she said and stopped in front of a staircase that led down to a robust iron door, “keep you face hidden, we don’t want to draw more attention to us than necessary.”

They walked down the steps and Astrid could feel her muscles tense. It could all be at trap, they could enter that cellar and be welcomed by an ambush. She reached out and knocked on the door three times. A hatch opened and a pair of wild, black eyes started back at her.

“You wish to enter, say the words,” he croaked.

Astrid clenched her jaw, “praise the nine.”

The hatch closed and the sound of locks turning could be heard on the other side. The door swung open and the first thing she saw was a dwarf, a wooden chair next to him and behind that, another set of stairs leading further down the cellar. The dwarf grabbed the chair and pushed it against the wall. She gave him a quick nod and walked past him. The further down they went, the thicker the air got. It wasn’t cold as one would expect, not like the sanctuary where you had to keep a constant fire going in every corner to not freeze to death. They reached the bottom floor and came to a long corridor. As they made their way through it she noticed there were openings on either side of the walls, all the way to the next door. She turned her head and saw men, old men, probably veterans. Every single one of them had their own poison cradled in their arms - skooma, alcohol, even women. A man with silver hair and a matching beard cried for his mother, an empty bottle next to him along with a blood stained knife, he appeared to be blind. She covered her nose and mouth with her glove, walked over to the door and opened it.

The contrast on the other side couldn’t have been more prodigious. The light was warm and the smell of decay was left behind. The men inside were laughing, no one screamed for their mothers. There were even musicians, happily taking requests and drinking with the people. It was as if they had entered a different realm. She felt a tug at her waist and looked down. Babette had taken the letter she had gotten a few days before from a courier, she had let this one live. She put it inside her hood for a little while, then she gave it back.

“He’s here,” she said and took Astrid’s arm and guided her between the crowded room. They stopped in front of a small table where a young man sat. His eyes seemed to be stuck on his tall cup as he fiddled with the foot of it. Only when Astrid threw her gloves down on the table did he jump in his seat and look up. He opened his mouth slightly but closed it again when Astrid pulled out a chair and sat down. He then looked at Babette, her hood had slid down and uncovered her vampiric outer. The boy’s eyes widened as they went from her and back to Astrid.

“I...I thought we would meet alone,” he stammered as his eyes flickered between the two assassins.

“It’s hard to be alone in an illicit establishment like this one,” she said silkily and moved his cup to the side, “now, we’ve come a long way, I hope you’re worth the trouble.”

He blinked at her, as if he didn’t understand her and she felt like she had to remind him of who he was dealing with. She removed her blade from its sheath and swiftly turned it under the table, pressing it against his groin. He clenched his jaw but kept his focus steadily on Astrid’s face.

“Where is Dawn?” She asked calmly. The boy didn’t answer and she added a little more pressure to the blade, “there’s a vein right here, the femoral artery if I’m not mistaken. I’ve never had the patience to learn the human anatomy, just enough to know where to cut. A little push, that’s all it takes for you to bleed out in minutes. People will think you just had too much to drink, so they will leave you be, they won’t know there’s a corpse in here until morning, and we will be long gone by then. So, tell me, where are they keeping her?”

“She’s in the prisoner dungeon, under the castle,” he said, his voice trembling. A pearl of sweat rolled down his temple, “she’s alive, but…”

Astrid removed the blade and put it back where it belonged, “but what?” She urged and felt her heart beat violently inside her chest.

“She will be executed, publicly, tomorrow. Two hours before midnight. People are traveling from everywhere to see it happen. They want justice for the murder of emperor Mede.”

“Then they should look for the man who ordered the contract, Motierre,” she said bitterly.

The boy shook his head, “there was never a contract, you were set up, but I didn’t have anything to do with it I swear, it was…”

“Arnbjorn,” Astrid finished and clenched her fists, “so, what’s your part in all of this, hmm? Is there a reason I shouldn’t kill you here and now?”

“I know the castle like the palm of my hand. I can draw you a map over Solitude right now from memory, you need me,” he breathed, “the night you were attacked on your way to Riften Dawn saved me from being ripped to pieces by Silverclaw, Arnbjorn’s right hand. He told Arnbjorn everything about it, that was my first job outside of the city gates, and my last.”

“The beast? She put an arrow in him, if I remember correctly. You’re telling me he’s still alive?” She said and Aaron nodded, looking down at the table. She sighed and shot a quick glanced over her shoulder at Babette, “I’ve lived long enough to learn that information like this doesn’t come cheap. If you plan on switching sides and help us get her back alive, I can only presume you want something in return?” She said and leaned back in her chair.

He shifted in his seat uncomfortably, “I want my freedom, I want to see my family again,” he said as his eyes watered.

Astrid regarded him thoughtfully. The boy seemed too sloppy and emotional to be a spy, or, he could be a very good one. She didn’t trust him, but she was desperate and doubt was a luxury she couldn’t afford.

“Right then, let’s go,” she said and stood up, “you got a horse?”

He nodded and got up on his feet as well. He was skinny as a spear and looked like he hadn’t had a bath in years.

“What’s your name?” She asked and watched him straighten his back as his timid, pale eyes reached hers.

“Aaron, ma’am, from Karthwasten,” he replied with a certain proud ring to his tone, not that she would ever understand why one would take pride in being from a town with nothing but mines and family feuds.

“Good, ready your horse. Babette, you can accompany him, I’ll be with you in a moment.”

* * *

A bright full moon coloured the treetops white. The nights were getting colder and summer was only a memory scattered over the ground as brown leaves decayed in the soil. Aaron trembled as he adjusted the reigns on his horse. Astrid came back from the cellar with a big linen bag in her hand.

“You’ve been stealing?” Said Babette and smiled wickedly.

“I don’t steal,” she replied and opened the bag, “I’m an honest woman.”

She fished out a large loaf of bread and a piece of ham and handed it over to Aaron. He looked at her in confusion.

“You’ve kept her alive this long, thought I’d return the favor.”

He stared at her as he reached out and took the food, “thank you,” he said quietly, it sounded more like a question than gratitude. He didn’t trust her either, if he did he would’ve devoured the bread without blinking. She turned to Babette, grabbed her under her armpits and lifter her up on Shadowmere’s back. Aaron’s expression was almost as disturbing as it was comical.

“Trust me, this is as humiliating as it looks,” Babette told him with a smile, “I’m usually more agile than this.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” he mumbled and jumped up on his horse.

Astrid let out a soft chortle and got herself up behind Babette. They boy was witty, that’s probably why he had survived for so long. In her experience people without the physique to defend themselves usually lived longer, they had the benefit of using their head instead of the sharp edges of a sword. Shadowmere took the lead, and they left the lonely village behind them. They kept away from the roads to avoid any obstacles along the way. It would take longer, but it would give her a chance to get to know the mysterious boy a little more and, maybe, find out if he had other intentions than the ones he had put forward. It was hard to believe he would risk his life for a girl he didn’t know, only to be reunited with his family. He had left his home for a reason, that’s what all the young people do - she had done it herself.

“You don’t have anything for me in that bag, do you?” Babette’s voice broke through her thoughts.

She chuckled, “New friendships doesn’t come cheap.”

“Ah, and here I thought you just wanted to feed an undernourished human, silly me,” the vampire replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She then bowed her head, as if she were praying, “what if we’re too late?”

Astrid took those words in, they infuriated her.

"You’ve had her blood, you tell me if she’s still breathing or not,” she sighed. Babette didn’t answer her right away, she imagined she had closed her eyes to search for an answer within herself.

“I don’t know I...I need to get closer,” she replied quietly.

“Good thing we’re on our way then.”

* * *

The night passed too quickly for her liking, she thought they’d at least reach the Solitude shores where they could find shelter for Babette by the docks during the day. It was at least an hour away, and the sun would be up in half that time. She ordered Aaron to build a small fire as she and Babette searched for something to shield her during the day.

“I can survive the sun, I’ve done it before,” she muttered as they battled through the various obstacles around the forest.

“I know, I remember,” she answered in a smooth voice, “I also remember how much you complained, I had a whole bucket of patience that day.”

Babette giggled, “I suspect you would have been just as tolerant had I been an undead in a grown woman’s body.”

“I might have used a harsher tone than I did,” she smiled, “but I never take pleasure in scolding a family member.”

“Not even Cicero?” The vampire asked, Astrid stopped at looked down at her.

“That fool has no place in my family, he invaded it and I never wanted him,” she snarled.

Babette crossed her arms over her chest, “and in what centenary has anyone ever been able to choose who’s in their family or not?”

“In this one, right now. I’ve built us up from nothing, taking in only the ones I’ve thought worthy...”

“Yes, you have.  _ You, _ ” she cut in, her voice not resonating with her childlike appearance anymore, “nobody liked Dawn the first time they met her, I know I didn’t. You brought her in because you wanted to, you never ask for our opinion. That’s not family, that’s hierarchy.”

Astrid clenched her jaw as anger boiled inside of her. She wasn’t angry at Babette and what she had said, she was angry because she was right. Astrid had been selfish all her life, it’s how she had survived.

“If you dislike her so much, why did you come?” She said in a low voice.

“I said I didn’t like her at first, even old relics like me can have a change of heart,” she said and let her arms fall to her side, “and for what it’s worth, she has made you a better person.”

She didn’t know how to answer that, and it seemed like Babette didn’t expect her to either. So they continued to rummage around the woods in silence. After a while Astrid decided they had gone too far and turned around to head back.

“This is pointless, let’s just dig a hole near camp for you,” she suggested and slapped a mosquito off  her neck, “I hope this is the last time I have to spend a night in a bush.”

“Over there!” Babette nearly screeched and pointed towards a little slant with a hole big enough for someone with the physique of a child to fit inside.

“Just as the thought of burying you sounded like the most fun I’ve had in a long time,” she joked and was met with a snarl as Babette strutted past her.

The little vampire dived into the hole and was gone in seconds. Astrid rolled her eyes and walked over to the little opening. No sounds could be heard, she bent down and stared into the dark abyss.

“People set traps in these kind of holes,” she said, “when the animals rush into the safety of their den their paws get stuck in snares, preventing them to move.” She straightened her back and listened. The only sounds to be heard was that of the trees moving in the wind, and the birds waking up, “you better be asleep down there, I’m not in the mood for another rescue mission.”

She could hear a rustle coming from the hole and instinctively reached for her blade. As if the den spat out something foul it had eaten, two red and fluffy bundles flew out and landed by her feet. She picked them up by their tail and looked at them. It was two full grown foxes, dead as doornails.

 

* * *

 

“I’ve never had fox before,” Aaron said enthusiastically, “It’s not that bad.”

Astrid looked at him doubtfully, “by the looks of you it seems you haven’t eaten at all, can’t imagine the wolves gives you more than rats to eat.”

He snickered at that and shook his head, “not even that, ma’am,” he said and bit off a large chunk of the fox’s leg, “I usually share what I get with Dawn, she needs it more than I.”

They locked eyes and Astrid put down the meat she had barely touched and stood up, “Put out the fire. We should rest now, there won’t be time later.”

"Have I offended you, ma’am?” He said and rushed to his feet, “in that case, I’m sorry.”

She sighed, walked over to her horse and unstrapped the one bedroll they had brought, “no, I’m glad someone looks after her,” she replied and tossed the bedroll over to him.  He catched it and looked at her in confusion.

“I can’t accept this, I’ll sleep on the grass,” he said and was about to throw it back to her.

“This may very well be the last day of our lives,” she answered tonelessly “enjoy it.”

Aaron turned the bedroll in his hands and untied the knot around it, “thank you, ma’am,” he said and bowed his head. It annoyed her, his obedience and constant propriety. He was only useful to her because he provided her with the information she wanted. If he hadn’t she would have cut his throat without blinking. She patted her horse fondly, “lay down,” she commanded, and he did. She put her head against his belly and wrapped a blanket over herself. She watched Aaron put out the burning embers with wet moss.

“Your letter, as cryptic as it might have been I did understand one thing, the wolves serve Ulfric Stormcloak, and the Imperials stand behind them as well,” she said, her questions seemed to have made him forget what he was doing, “how long do you think this alliance will last?” She asked him.

He tilted his head a bit and pursed his lips, “until tonight, I reckon. After they’ve...you know,” he looked at her as if he were ashamed. “I hear things, they don’t think I listen, but I do. The imperials and the Stormcloaks hate each other like hounds and cats, the soldiers brawl every night at the inn. But Ulfric doesn’t think it’s fair to battle the Imperials if their head’s not in the game, there’s no honour in that. Mede had no children of his own so there’s no one to take his place, this upsets Tullius and his followers.”

“This is exactly why I never engage in politics,” she groaned, “and the wolves? What’s their part in all this?”

“They swore their loyalty to Ulfric, one of them is worth ten of his men. I’ve seen how they fight, it’s not human,” he said and his voice trembled.

“That’s because they’re not human,” Astrid said calmly, “but you still are, remember that.”

He gave her a quick smile and unfolded his bedroll, “I will, ma’am.”

She frowned at his words and decided there was one more thing she wanted to get out of the way, “do you remember five minutes ago when you asked me if you had offended me?” She sighed.

“Y-yes, ma’am, I do,” he stammered as he struggled to remove his boot.

“Excellent, then stop calling me ma’am,” she snapped and shut her eyes.

 

* * *

 

The last rays of sunlight shone through the forest and coloured the uneven ground golden. The birds had stopped singing and had flown back to their nests. Yellow and red leaves had begun to cover the ground deep inside the forest, surrendering to the inevitable time of autumn. Astrid hadn’t slept a wink, she didn’t know if it was because of Aaron’s inhumanly loud snores or if, for once, her nerves had defeated her. She had watched as the light slowly got devoured by the dark shadows of the trees. Now, back on her horse, she regretted her decision to stare at the sky going from blue to pitch black and never closing her eyes. 

Babette seemed to be in a good mood and hummed on a song Astrid wasn’t familiar with. Must be something from a forgotten time, she thought. Melancholy snaked up her back and laid over her shoulders like a heavy chain as the melody went into sounding like a sad lullaby, she cleared her throat.

“Stop that,” she snarled and immediately regretted her harsh tone, “someone might hear you.”

“I’m sorry, just trying to make time pass. Besides, there’s not a living soul in this forest,” she sighed and seemed to find something about that very amusing as she started to giggle, “well, except for you two.”

Astrid,  who had rolled her eyes behind Babette’s back, glanced over her shoulder at the boy bobbing up and down on the back of his horse. “Can’t be too cautious,” she mumbled. The clock was ticking and the dreaded two hours before midnight drew closer, they would reach Solitude before then but she needed to think of a solid plan to get Dawn off the gallows before it was too late. She had a bow, she could take down the executioner and people would cause a scene for her, lasting long enough for them to grab Dawn and get out. But she had one more thing she wanted to get done. She herself had made it very clear that this expedition was about rescuing Dawn and nothing more; no distractions. Even so, the gnawing desire to get rid of Arnbjorn and get her vengeance, grew stronger the closer they got. She clenched her jaw at the thought, ignoring the aching in her teeth as she pressed them harder together.

“The Blue Palace,” said Babette and caused Astrid to break her pensive trance and look ahead. Beyond the edge of the forest, the flat horizon behind the sea was disrupted by the dark silhouette of Solitude, its castle rising up on a tall cliff over the raging water.

“They’ve lit the fires in the towers,” Aaron called out behind them.

“What does that mean?” Astrid asked as an uncomfortable flare of dread twirled inside her stomach.

“It means they’ve begun the ceremony,” Babette said quietly as her grip on Shadowmere’s mane tightened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the loooong wait (again, I never learn). Hope you liked it!
> 
> Ps. Thanks for the lovely reviews and kudos!


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